Children of the Stars
by Trynia Merin
Summary: AU, DBZ slight fullmetal xover! Since Chichi left him, Goku raises 2 foster boys and helps protect their mother from her worst enemies. Prequel to Saiyan Foster Father.
1. How it Began and Ended

Disclaimer: I don't own Full Metal Alchemist, and the portrayal of KISS and Blackwellas comic book characters is owned by Marvel and Dark Horse. I only own Atomique, Fermi, Bohr, and the other characters that are fan based here. Christine the Black Widow is owned by Bulma the Babe. I don't get paid for this.

**The Way it Began and Ended**

by Trynia Merin aka StarbearerTM

**Story Summary and Notes: This is a backstory to show how Atomique ends up in the world of the Full Metal Alchemist. It's a sort of jumping off point. It takes place four years before Children of the Stars, and four and a half before Saiyan Foster Father.**

* * *

_**Four Years ago, before Children of the Stars...**_

_Before the darkness Atomique stood. Thick and tangible it pressed on her from all sides at once. Even seeping into her heart and soul with a slowly gnawing bite. She burned as if frostbitten, feeling the pressure crushing her. Fear and anger surged within her and she felt her knees knocking together as she saw the darkness form into a definitive shape._

_"Blackwell, you ARE afraid," Atomique taunted._

_"Foolish little girl. You merely reflect what is your OWN weakness. Even now you're trying to move the darkness with a mere spark!"_

_"Then try and put it out, Blackwell. If you're so mighty why do you need a HUMAN host to focus your energies through? You're not ALL powerful, otherwise you'd have already WON," Atomique shouted back. Bone dry wind blasted her face, and the image took on a reddish glow._

_"You are a fool to ask to face me, chemist," Blackwell answered. "You think your precious religion will save you, is that it?"_

_"Yes," Atomique said grimly. "Maybe you think I'm a backward superstitious FOOL, but you could be wrong. You're evil incarnate, and I'm going to stand up to you."_

_"Arrogant fool," Blackwell laughed. "You have no idea."_

_"I do, and I am terrified," Atomique said calmly. "I'd be a liar if I denied it. But SOMEONE has to stand up to you and if I AM the only one left, than it looks like it's you and me."_

_"Even if it endangers your children?"_

_"Even if it does," Atomique answered. There came a hard kick up into her ribs as she felt both babies squirming. They were not trying to hurt HER, but whatever threatened her._

_"I'll add their live to yours when I drain your spirit dry!"_

_"Go ahead and try," Atomique said shakily._

_"You're no longer in the physical world, chemist, you're in the spirit realm and here I am the one who makes the rules."_

_"Then shut up and do whatever it is you're going to do. Or are you so bored that you're keeping me half alive to amuse you?" Atomique snorted._

_"Try and stop me from draining you taking you for my own. Join me and your children live become one with my darkness."_

_"No," Atomique answered._

_"You're already close to death. Those babies are killing you."_

_"Not Fermi and Bohr," Atomique gasped, and felt a squirming within._

_Sweat poured down her head as Atomique blinked to consciousness. She curled up on the floor, hugging her body as her abdomen twanged with fire. Now in the shelter alone she was unable to hold back the two babies that were moving quickly. Blackwell was struggling to trap her in that living death._

_"I am not your slave. I am Atomique and I protect my family!"_

_"You're not strong enough to fight me," Blackwell laughed. "And he who was your husband is already fallen… you're beaten… give up!"_

_"NO!" she screamed._

_"It's true. See the emptiness in your mind. Star Child is no more. And the other Four are defeated. You and the other three females are hopeless to stand against me!"_

_"Never… someday we'll destroy you… even if you defeat us now, we'll grow strong enough to kill you!"_

_"You'll never use your power to kill," Blackwell taunted._

_"Mother help us," came a cry that was pure and clear. Atomique was yanked rudely into consciousness with blinding pain._

_

* * *

_

"Oh god," she cried, laying on her back and shaking. Several of the ladies in waiting rushed in and pushed her up to squat. Shea, Leeta, and a few others of the concubines were surrounding her, holding her as she screamed out her pain. "I can't hold it back!"

"Don't. It looks like those babies are coming ready or not," muttered Shea. She was one of the few nurses they had found in the Fortress Gene had constructed. Out there Paul and the others were fighting for their lives. While she had been left in the shelter where other babies wailed and cried, and where the women were huddled.

"Not now," Atomique pleaded.

"Get her into the back with the other children," said Shea. "Stay with her, Mary."

Mary Freespirit nodded, waving to the other women who were being herded with the smallest children. Atomique groaned as a frightened girl held out her hands and she grabbed as a teenaged girl held her up. Clustered with children of various ages she was half dragged along as they pushed her into darkness.

"Should they see this?" Atomique gasped as Mary laid her down, and shouted to her girls.

"You're the only one who can protect us. But you've got to let THEM protect us," Mary breathed. Blankets were rolled up and put under her head, and Angel called to the other mothers who were trying to shush their children.

Long hours had passed, and Atomique had struggled to hold on. Now in the innermost folds she lay there, paining and groaning as contractions surged through her body. Kicks and squirms and flutters from inside, and she felt something wet gushing between her legs. "Oh god!"

"Get me a towel, her water broke," Marianne called. Mary moved over, and shouted to her son. Screams of other babies sounded in Atomique's ears as she held onto the hand of the woman whose lap she rested on.

"Get ready! Is she dilated?" asked Christy.

"10 cm," Marianne said, leaning as she somehow look down.

Who was minding the other children? Perhaps the other mothers who were there in the hotel. Paul had brought her here to help teach the others, and her brother was alive, out and fighting. They had lived together for the last seven months trying to find the other children. Atomique had only been able to keep her lab work going through a telepathic link. Relegated to the mothers and children under twelve she was, as her pregnancy dragged out.

* * *

Hours of pain seemed forever as the ground shook and explosions rocked them. She grunted and pushed, praying that they wouldn't die just as they were coming into the world. Pain had brought her back to reality, and Blackwell's link was broken momentarily. 

"Push, don't push! Wait," gasped Angel.

"I see the head!"

"Twins," Atomique moaned, as Marianne sponged her head.

"Easy, now get ready! I see the head," Angel whispered. She reached between the legs, and Atomique saw the improvised sheet speckled with blood and something else. They had pulled up her long smock and removed the undergarments to see a clear view of what was to come. From deep inside she pushed again, and something thrust through, painfully taking ages to twist around and emerge.

"One baby. It's a boy," Angel gasped. She lay something warm and moving on Atomique's chest, and then Atomique felt that awful pain wringing her abdomen again. Whimpering she struggled hard once more, while holding whatever moved on her chest.

Inches from her face a scrunchy red face opened its mouth and yowled in protest. Its breath hit her face and she felt tears blurring her vision. Her hand held the baby in place that had only hours before kicked her ribs in its urge to get out. Before long there were shouts of joy and screams of fear as another baby was place in her arms and Atomique sobbed in fear and joy.

"Two boys, healthy and strong. You did good girl. Let's get you cleaned up," Angel said.

"They're coming! Not much time," warned Shea's voice.

"God, she just gave birth! How long?" asked Angel.

"An hour or two. It doesn't look good, they're defeating us," said Marianne softly.

Atomique glanced at several young faces looking at her in wonder, having seen a birth for the first time. Hands were helping her wrap each baby in her robe and improvise a sling so they were right near either breast. Fermi and Bohr both squirmed and whimpered against her bare skin.

"Give me a barrette," Atomique gritted. "Get these cords cut first! And save the afterbirth, we might need it!"

"The afterbirth?" asked Mary.

"She's right. Wrap it in this here. I've got a scissors," said Angel.

Both babies were bundled up, and she rocked them, swallowing a lump in her throat. Two pairs of dark eyes blinked up into hers, looking at her with that same depth as Shandi had. The eyes were dark as the starless night, and held nothing but love, and the desire to live. Young minds were reaching out to hers, and she held them fast.

"Where's Paul?" Atomique asked. "I can't hear him in my mind!"

"Tomique, we've got to move you," said Mary. "Christine says that they're being slaughtered. Gene's ordered us to pull back."

"I'll try, but the others," Atomique gasped, as they tried to put her back together. She staggered under the weight of two medium sized babies, her sons who were whimpering and crying.

"Don't try to move," Mary urged.

"I'll walk damn it," Atomique gritted. "Help me up! I carried my sons for nine months I can carry them now!"

"All right," Angel nodded. "Everyone this way! Follow Atomique and Christine!"

"Let me help you," urged Christine as she slid her arm around Atomique's shoulder. The Black Widow, streaked with blood and gore helped Atomique limp along. Blood stained Atomique's hands, as either baby had not been properly cleaned. She grabbed the mess of rags that she yelled to Marianne to wrap the placenta in so she could take it. Nothing could be left behind that could be used later.

Umbilical cords residuals would fall off in a few days. She limped along, and felt other children and mothers pushing her in a living column. They all stumbled together, crying and shaking from fear as they prayed that this day wouldn't be their last.

"Fermi and Bohr, huh?" Christine asked. "Names of scientists?"

"They deserve names that will remind them of who their mother is, and what brightness existed once of knowlege," Atomique gasped. "Identical twins run in my family. I feel their minds. I saw Blackwell but the babies helped save me."

"You saw BLACKWELL?" Christine shouted.

"Yes but Fermi and Bohr brought me back," Atomique groaned. Fermi yawned, while Bohr whimpered and squirmed, pushing a tiny fist out and brushing her tendrils of dark hair with his miniature fingers.

"This way!" Shea cried. Leader of the Ladies in Waiting, it was her task to protect all the wives, and children. Atomique was among them, among all the children and spouses while the men and young boys over twelve fought. Sexist, but the only alternative.

Long tunnels twisted deeper into the mountainside as Shea led them on. Christine knew that from the aching in the abdomens of several of Gene's girlfriends that they were also harboring children. He had impregnated her and the other ladies in waiting. It would be a bumper crop of dragon eggs. And Jeannie had said that female dragons laid eggs. But she was the Black Widow. Would she lay any at all?

Finally they reached the rear chamber, and poured through the doors. In the vast open space of a sixties bomb shelter they all gathered and the doors slid shut. Great bolts were drawn, locking them in the depths of a huge cavernous space that reminded Atomique of what it must feel like to be inside a womb. Ironic because of the two babies only hours old in her arms.

"You're covered in blood," Mary said as she guided Atomique to sit on a nearby mat. Other mattresses were thrown down, and supplies were checked.

"Relax, we're out of danger. We just have to wait," Christine yelled.

"Medicine and rations?" Atomique asked.

"Shh, let us make the decisions. You rest," Shea silenced her. "Just look after your babies."

"Paul, where is Paul? Why can't I feel him," Atomique gasped. All she felt was a silence, and dreaded darkness. Shivering she held tightly to Fermi and Bohr. They began to cry, and she wearily offered each a breast, wincing at the pain of them nursing.

"You okay?" Atomique mumbled to several of the children that were lying on mats around her. They all huddled for warmth.

"I'm scared, I want my daddy," the little one said. She was one of the ones who had no mother, but a father. She was passed among all the mothers and young women, including Atomique.

"Come here, it's all right," Atomique urged.

"But you have your babies," she whispered.

"Come here," Atomique urged. "Keep us warm. I won't leave you alone. I need you here."

Whimpering, the six-year-old cuddled up, and lay against Atomique's stomach. She nestled one of the babies in the arms of the girl, while she nursed the other. Distracted by Fermi, the girl stared into the dark eyes looking up at hers.

"They're little for babies," Emily whispered.

"They're premature," Atomique explained.

"But they're breathing. My nana said that most preemies need special cribs for that…"

"Fermi and Bohr are only three weeks premature," said Atomique. "They can breathe on their own. Most twins are born early."

That strange sadness filled her. What could she do for all these frightened people? Except try and make sure Fermi and Bohr lived to see the next day. She realized she was not alone, and that other children were huddling up to their mothers. "I'm not ready for this," Atomique whispered. "But I love you both, and I know I've got to take care of you."

"I'll watch them for you," Emily sleepily muttered. Atomique swallowed hard and hugged both her babies to her, letting her tears fall. Paul was dead; it had to be the explanation, for she could feel the emptiness poignantly.

With one baby slung over her hip, she passed the other, Bohr to Christine to hold. Awkwardly Christine held Bohr, while Atomique nursed Fermi. Two of Mary's daughters bounced in, oohing about the babies. Gratefully Christine handed Bohr off to his adoptive sisters. Luckily for them, most of the larger families had young girls who were more than eager to share child watching.

Atomique sat down, and sighed as a few of the other kids wandered in, and sat in a circle to watch her nursing her baby. Three days had passed quickly in the shelter. The Ladies in Waiting had gone on scouting patrols while Atomique and the other mothers busied the children with various lessons. Naturally Atomique had taken the science lessons, while others focused on the subjects in the books that were stockpiled there.

"They look like they're growing fast," Christine mumbled.

"Yes. I noticed they're doubling weight. As if their growth is twice that of normal babies," Atomique murmured. "I wonder what it means?"

"Maybe it's an evolution thing?" Christine shrugged. "But they're healthy."

"I feel their minds constantly. Sucking in knowledge like they're drinking milk," Atomique said as she reached for Bohr. Fermi was handed off, protesting till he was burped with knowledgeable hands.

"Damn where ARE they?" Christine mumbled.

"I wish I knew," said Atomique. Christine kicked the wall, and snorted as she growled under her breath. Several of the children glanced up in fear, and she sighed.

"I'm sorry. I just…"

"You're on patrol," Shea said as she walked in, battle weary. She passed off her child to one of the teenaged girls and glanced in their direction.

"What about Jeannie's egg," Christine muttered.

"Let me sit on it," Atomique said.

"You're nuts, with all those kids there!" Christine laughed.

"I've got half a dozen babysitters, what's one more," Atomique said wearily, and then smiled. She was glad for the distraction of the young ones. Surrounded with their positive thoughts she was gaining much mental strength for a possible defense. Her elemental transmutations required vast amounts of human emotion. What better source than rowdy children?

Lying on her side, she put the egg between both her babies. Several of the smaller children curled up on the mats with her, and fell fast asleep. Little did she know those minutes ago, Blackwell had slain her husband? Her own destruction was close at hand. Reality shifted and moved around everyone one moment, and then she felt herself being torn apart.

"What's happening?" Christine yelled.

"Destroyer dimension shifting!" cried Atomique. "I can't…"

A huge explosion rocked the building. Sizzling gold energies slammed into the place, disintegrating the wall. Silver suited scientists burst in, pushing back their hoods to reveal their scaly reptilian faces.

"NO!" Atomique screamed. Angrily she raised her hands, and surrounded the children and herself with a barrier. Christine flared her powers, throwing bolts of scarlet energies.

"Get away!" she screamed. Atomique grabbed her babies, and hustled the children, forming a dome of solid diamond around them. Mothers and children scattered, each with a Destroyer after them. Each lady in waiting fought valiantly, as Atomique struggled to hold the barrier firm against them. Children huddled against her, screaming and crying. She struggled to hold them all as their emotion powers flooded her.

"Surrender!" laughed Third, rushing up and raising weapons filled with tranquilizer darts. All around them was the sign of battle. Christine and Jeannie hurled bolts of sheer power towards their enemies; while Atomique's barrier opened in places to let their energies soar.

"Get AWAY!" Christine yelled to Atomique. "Take the children and GO!"

"I can't let them have you!"

"Go, damn you!" Jeannie yelled. Clutching the egg to her chest, Atomique struggled with her babies slung across her back. She grabbed the hands of the nearest children around her, removing her dome from around her friends. Wings spread, and both Dragon Womyn and Black Widow soared up into the night. Fire blazed down, separating her and the destroyers to give them precious time.

* * *

Gasping, Atomique hurled bolts of chikara and magnesium flares after those few destroyers who had blundered through the fire. A huge blast of power exploded, and she barely threw up a barrier in time to protect the twenty or so children remaining around her. 

"Get close to me!" she screamed. All around her they clustered, and she held them fast. Shea and Marianne stood fast, holding up their rifles to fire point blank.

"Surrender now!" called a hissing voice. "You're all dead unless you surrender! We've one…"

"Never!" Atomique cried, holding her barrier of blazing plasma up, to encompass the twenty five children, and her two remaining friends. The distant sounds of battle echoed around her, masonry falling all around her. Red scaly beings raised their weapons to cover her.

"It's useless to resist. We only want the children. They will be unharmed. If you continue to resist, you'll be killed…"

"What do you want?" asked Atomique.

"Give us your Talisman. And the Children go free…"

"Marianne, Shea, take the children. I'm going to give them what they deserve," said Atomique quietly. Holding Fermi and Bohr close, she handed the egg to them. They nodded, knowing what she was going to do as she spoke into their minds. Lowering her barrier she stepped forwards. Both her babies she slung to her breast, and quieted. There was only one chance in a million, and they would survive, protected by her atomic chikara.

"Sensible," said the squad leader.

"Who do I speak to?" asked Atomique.

"I am Third. Scientific controller. You are Atomic Girl?" asked Third, glancing her over. He lifted his visor, showing bright yellow eyes that were slit with vertical pupils.

"Yes. Do I have your word you'll let them go?"

"Yes. They'll be perfect specimens in the new order. You should have surrendered to Leader before… but they will not suffer your fate…"

"Which is…?"

"Blackwell is anxious to meet you. After you are properly disciplined he may have a use for you. And your children will be his agents," Third laughed.

"Never," Atomique said quietly. Raising her hand she hurled a plasma blast in their midst.

Third screamed in anger as she then transmuted the air behind her to diamond, sealing off the remaining parts of the bunker in an indestructible field. Shea and Marianne retreated, taking the children deeper into the bunker to safety. Now she alone staggered, holding up her hand against the choking gas. Unfortunately it was hard to transmute anything save carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen.

Third grabbed her, while Tenth and Twelfth smacked her back. She lay forwards, landing on her back to protect her babies tucked into her lab smock. "That was foolish…" Third snarled.

"I don't care. You'll not take me alive…" Atomique promised.

Grabbing Tenth and Twelfth she reached for their faces. Channeling her anger and hatred she surged it forwards. Instantly they became petrified hunks of carbon dust, screaming in agony. Third's eyes widened when she saw Atomic Girl use her power to kill.

A flare of nitroglycerine slammed into Third's face, drowning him in a blazing fireball. Just in the nick of time he activated his transport belt. More Destroyers surrounded her, and Atomique's hands reached to touch and give them the kiss of death to reduce them to constituent elements.

When at long last she staggered to the surface, she saw Christine and Black Widow standing in a circle of bodies. Blood covered their hands. She staggered up, feeling nausea overcome her. "Tryn!" cried Christine.

"They got away…" she stammered.

"But the Destroyers…"

"Are gone," Atomique said grimly.

"You… killed them?" Jeannie asked quietly.

"Yes," Atomique nodded, feeling her stomach turn. Dropping to her knees she threw up. To her chest she clutched the babies Fermi and Bohr. Christine gently helped her to stand.

"Where's my egg?" asked Jeannie.

"With the others… William will live…" gasped Atomique. "What about…"

"They're all dead, or captured by the Destroyers. We're the only three left," Jeannie growled. "Except for those that you covered for…"

"Then we've lost?" Atomique asked, wiping away her face.

A quick blur of power surrounded them. Space and time ripped, and the three looked at one another. Before they could say anything, Christine saw Jeannie and Atomique fading away. Atomique screamed to see her friends vanish in a blinding reality rip. Time swirled around her, sending her along a corridor that threw her far from the world she knew.

* * *

Space Ace had scattered them across space time, and there seemed no way of getting back. Emptiness filled her mind where the bond had once existed between her husband and she. Only silence remained. Blackness came over her like a mantle, searing her bones and spreading her atoms only to have them reform and slam into a solid surface once again. Reality reconstructed itself around her while she landed out of the special rip drifting above a field in a parallel dimension far from Blackwell and the Destroyers. 

"Star Child…" she gasped, sobbing in her sleep. "Why did you die?"

When she opened her eyes, she lay on a grassy green field. Her two babies cried, making tiny fists as their mother lay there. Tears rolled down her eyes. She lifted her face to see bright sunlight shining down on her. Sweet fresh air filled her nostrils, but she was too tired to move.

"Help me," she whispered, struggling to stand. She staggered over to what looked like a dirt road. Distant footsteps sounded as two figures came into view, steadily growing bigger. She staggered towards them, holding her two squalling babies to her chest. All her strength ebbed out.

A tall shining form blinded her, flanked by a youth with golden hair. Seeing her, they quickly rushed up. Atomique sank to the road, dropping hard on her knees. She pitched to her side, groaning. "Hey… are you all right?" asked a small child's voice, echoing in metal.

"Hey miss, you okay?" asked another voice. She blinked up into a pair of aquamarine eyes. Golden hair cascaded down his back in a single braid. His young body was clothed in a high collared black jacket, while the armored figure gently steadied her.

"Help me… they're all dead," she gasped. "My babies… I can't…"

"Hang on… we'll help you… Al, carry her to the house… I'll go call for help!" the other said. He reached down and pressed his hands together, slowly gathering energies. From out of nowhere a cup of water was formed, and placed to her lips seconds later. The armored knight picked her up in his arms, and cradled her.

"Don't be scared miss we're here to help," said the little boy's voice. "What's your name?"

"Atomique…" she whispered.

"I'm Al, and that's my brother Ed. Don't be scared… we'll get you some help…" the knight in shining armor said. Mercifully she fainted.

By the time Edward Elric reappeared with more water, he heard the two babies screaming for their mother. Flustered he managed to reach a phone and call for the only people who he knew could help. Within the hour, both mother and babies were picked up by the Military, and they were yet again heroes. But her troubles had only just begun…

* * *


	2. Prologue

**Prologue and Story Notes** for Saiyan Foster Father

Read if you want to know more about what's going on here! 

By Trynia Merin, Beta'd by Christine Criss

* * *

In the 'other world' after defeating Cell, Son Goku fights in the celestial Budakai. During that seven year period between his death and coming back to earth for one day, he encounters many heroes. Because he placed second, he attracts the attention of other would be champions. Grand Kai receives the influx of new heroes from other dimensions as well, including alchemy using heroes of another dimension, called the Elementals. 

Son Goku is partnered with the being known as Stellari. Master of emotions, psychic projections and dreams, he can project a blindingly powerful chikara beam from his star covered eye, as well as achieve the power of flight. However he is weak on martial arts skills. Because his purity of heart and spirit mirror the Saiyan, they seem a perfect match of master and sensei.

As Son Goku and Stellari train, they learn about their respective worlds. Goku is hoping that he'll be able to win a lesson with the 'grand kai' who is the leader of his reality. Sylvarian and the other 'kais' and superiors see the two warriors working together and note their strengths. The more they train, the more Son Goku and Stellari learn about each other's lives in the dimension of the living. Star Child reveals the cause of his death, an all out battle between his teammates and a spiritual enemy known as the Djinna, who are cousins of the Succubae Greed and Lust from the Alchemy world of Full Metal Alchemist.

Goku shivers as he learns that next to Freiza, this being is the epitome of everything evil in Stellari's native Earth. It was the Djinna who caused a huge comet to hit earth and block out all life except a few hundred thousand humans and the native animals. Through altering reality he forged a world ruled by lizard like beings, called Destroyers. Unfortunately a being on the side of good in another dimension, the Elementals, sought to stop Leader who escaped from their realm by sending the Talismen to the children of the Elementals. A last battle occurs between them, their families and allies to stop the Destroyers and Djinna mind raker pollution of their universe. Unfortunately all but a few Elementals have been badly beaten by Leader, and are close to failure to prevent the Djinna's creation. In a last ditch attempt, Stellari scatters the children and wives across space and time along with the amulets. Stellari ends up getting killed and sent to Otherworld in the battle to save his wife and two sons.

The Djinna using the Destroyers take over the Earth of the Elementals. Unfortunately they decide they must have the children to reshape it in their image. Using stolen technology gleaned from other alien races, they fashion warp dimensional transporters. Leader chases across space-time to find all the people scattered across space-time. Stellari's living allies Dragon Womyn and Black Widow, end up on Chikyuu, the world of the Dragon Balls, almost three years in the future relative to Other World where Goku and Star Child are training. Struck by their raw power, the second most powerful warrior on earth, Prince Bejita of the Saiyans, decides to offer to train them to serve him and his wife at Capsule Corps. On Chikyuu, one of the most powerful and wealthy families is the Briefs, who owns this multinational corporation. Dragon Womyn's son William and mate Elliot end up in a future where the world is being ravaged by deadly androids, the world of Future Trunks.

Son Goku becomes intrigued, and through a psylink with Stellari, he learns all about this battle, along with King Kai. Seven years have passed since Goku's death on earth, and Stellari appeared a year before Son Goku is brought back to life for one day to fight in the Tenkachi Boudakai on Earth. Stellari watches Goku through the link they have formed, and is impressed when his former Sensei is brought back to life as a reward along with Bejita for defeating Majin Buu, an enemy almost equal in power to Djinna creations.

A month or so after Son Goku returns to the living, several powerful beings from someplace else arrive on Chikyuu, (Goku's earth). Telepathically he hears from King Kai that their energy signatures are the same frequencies as Stellari's. Amazed, Stellari soon sees that his daughter in law Dragon Womyn, and friend Black Widow have appeared on Goku's world of the living. Stellari's wife had been traveling across space time through other realities with them, and Stellari's sons Fermi and Bohr. An accident with a Destroyer dimensional jumper pushes the four of them into Chikyuu. There, the Destroyers temporarily capture the twins, hoping to use their psychic powers for their own needs.

Back in Star Child's dimension, Leader had discovered the Dragon Ball Reality through tracing the talisman through space time. Unfortunately the Dragon Balls are the same materials as the elemental amulets. She traces Jeannie and Christine there and sends the Destroyers to recover them. Second is sent to find them, take their amulets, and kill them. They find the world rife with super chikara powered beings and aim to study them. At the same time, they learn of powerful technology exists that could help them conquer their own world as well. The Destroyers have a habit of visiting time lines and taking what technology will work for them from others and bring it back for Leader.

Yamucha and Krillen manage to fight off the destroyers chasing the twins and determine the children aren't theirs. They take them to Krillen's for temporary care. Both struggle with the whole issue of two telepathic children, and decide to enlist the help of Dende to figure out whose children they are. Finally they discover that Bejita is training two similarly powered beings. Christine and Jeannie are amazed to find that these children are alive, and seek to foster them. Since they are extremely powerful, it's decided that 'foster' parents will care for the children. Chichi and the Son family take in one, while the Briefs take the other. Seeing both twins are better off together, they are placed together under the care of Jeannie and Christine. Having lost her own children, Jeannie is quick to care for the two children in a location in West City.

Goku and Gohan continue to train against the strange mutants continually attacking people in West Province 439. Strange reports of powerful beings run rampant. The Earth's Special Forces are kept busy trying to protect the local populace from being kidnapped by the fire lizards called Destroyers. Over the next few months, people from West Central City and other locals are being taken. Somehow Leader's Destroyers have started to mutate and claim people from this reality in order to use as raw material for building up Earth's population in their world. They mistakenly think that the transmuter Amulets are on the world, when in fact it's the Dragon balls made of the same energy.

Stellari senses that his wife is still alive in a dimension where Alchemy is the main science. (Full Metal Alchemist) and has been learning the use of her powers there, unaware her friends are still alive. Second and Third piece together the true nature of the star studded spheres, and seeks to comprehend their power. Second determines through questioning of the local inhabitants that she can perhaps use the twin wishes to help Leader and the Djinna spirits conquer their reality and others. But to find the Dragon balls, they must find a means of detecting them. In a mad rush, the Destroyers trace all beings with high energies, and all magical items. They discover the chikara of the children's mother, and decide to take her as a source of genetic power. If they have her, then they can regain her children, and take the Alchemy children back to their ruined earth.

Meanwhile, Destroyers trying to conquer another reality come across Stellari's living wife, Atomique. Leader has sensed the Atomic amulet there, and joins forces with the Succubae Lust and Greed. Atomique had becomes a State Alchemist after she's found by Edward and Alphonse Elric. She's reminded of her two sons that are no longer with her. For a time they tutor her in the ways of alchemy and find a sort of peace with this woman till she finds out of the existence of the Golden Princess who has a possible Philosopher's stone. The brothers Elric and atomic Girl set out to find her. Atomique hears stories of her children and aims to find them. Together, they eventually succeed in finding the children together.

For a time, Atomique raises her children with the help of the Military. They are trained in the ways of Alchemy and other mental arts by tutors. Her career as a State Alchemist generates enough revenue that she can survive off of it. From time to time, Edward and Alphonse stop by and help out with the children. She enjoys the protection of the fellow officers, till an attack at Central causes chaos. Vanessa and the Succubae strike, attacking her Atomique and draw enough of her mother's milk to synthesize for the toddlers, who are both now two years old. She opens a portal across space-time and jumps in with the babies just as Edward and Alphonse come to the rescue. Ed and Al hold the portal open long enough for Atomique to slip through. She ends up in the Dragon ball world just in time to run from Destroyers…

* * *

_Disclaimer: I don't own the concepts of Full Metal Alchemist, Dragon Ball Z. Funimation controls the rights to these two! This is a work of fanfiction incorporating these loves of mine. Only the fancharacters Dragon Womyn, Atomique, Bohr and Fermi, as well as Dragon Womyn and the Djinna with Leader are my creations. I don't get paid for this, so please don't sue me!_


	3. The Carbon Alchemist

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z or Full Metal Alchemist. Funimation and their respective owners distribute them. Atomique (Tryni), Dragon Womyn, and Black Widow are my fan chars though. This is a work of fan fiction and is not meant to harm or demean. I get no profit from this. Fermi (Fermi) and Bohr (Bohr) are fanfic chars.

* * *

****

Atomique the Carbon Alchemist

From the world of the Fullmetal alchemist she'd tumbled headlong into the backwoods of what looked like China. Atomique shook her head, glancing all around her as she took in the surroundings. Almost vertical mountains shrouded in mist, resembling something off a Chinese wall scroll. Still her head vibrated with residual energies from the transit. Within her hand she clutched the tracer that would lock onto Fermi and Bohr's energy signatures.

"Ed and Al said one alchemist could find another," she whispered. Hot tears still filled her eyes at the remembrance of the two boys who'd helped her unlock her true powers. So much they resembled the fire and spirit of her two sons that it hurt inside. Although one was a spirit attached to a suit of armor, and the other with artificial arm and leg, they were a reminder of something precious she'd lost.

The blue uniform she wore was tattered and torn. She stumbled through the woods, sensing something disrupting the energies of the wood. Strange tingling of powers reached out to touch her. She ducked behind a tree and heard footsteps approaching. Military training kicked in with a vengeance and Atomique, AKA the Carbon Alchemist concealed herself.

Her true name had been concealed long ago, lest Leader and her minions track her here. She'd taken the name Sylke in that Franco romantic Prussia world where Alchemy was the main ultimate science. Swapped stories with Mays Hughes regarding childhood of her two sons she missed, while dodging the irritating Roy Mustang and the others she'd come to accidentally know. Leader's Destroyers had made their way into the Earth of the Elric Brothers, who had sent them packing just as easily.

"Why am I here?" she asked herself. Ed's own alchemy had supplied the missing raw energy to force the portal open so she could trace Leader and the Destroyers here…

"Crap," she murmured, hearing a loud car engine tempered with whining. Wind slashed through the trees as something shot past her rapidly. In her peripheral vision she glimpsed a hover vehicle. Intrigued, the Carbon Alchemist decided to track the movements to see if this vehicle would lead her to civilization of some sort. A loud pop sounded, followed by the sound of lasers discharging. Panting, Atomique ran towards the sound of the disturbance. Acrid smoke and ozone hit her nostrils as she rounded the trees and burst into the clearing.

"Hey, over here! Are you looking for me?" Atomique asked. Shards of a shiny plastic shot out as Atomique flicked her wrist. They landed in Third's way. He dodged, bringing his pistol to bear on her. Shots crashed into the plastic barrier she erected, holding against the laser fire.

"You… I don't know HOW you made it here, Atomique, but you're too late if you're trying to stop us…" Third gasped.

"Tell me where my sons are, you miserable pile of shit, and I might let you live!" Atomique screamed. A flick of her wrist sent a long plastic filament sailing through the air, twisting it around her assailant.

"Never…" gasped Third, snapping the plastic like spaghetti.

"No!" Atomique gasped, forming a barrier that separated herself from the other two. She rushed up, holding the barrier long enough to check and see if the woman was all right. Panting she held up her hands to try and keep the barrier. Unfortunately two others that rushed out of the woods third and Second joined the percussive smashes of. Gunfire crackled against, shattering her barrier. She crossed her wrists, rolling well out of the way.

"Tell me where my sons are!" Atomique yelled. "You miserable pieces of slime! You killed my husband!"

Her next throw tossed several more plastic shards towards their captors. Then she flipped forwards, kicking at the two nearest, while setting up to punch the next. Unfortunately the Destroyers soon overwhelmed Her. Blows were exchanged, but Atomique was tiring. A stray blast slammed into her head, knocking her flat on her side.

* * *

"Shit," grumbled Second, glancing at his tracking device. 

"What?" asked Third.

"Two large energy signatures headed this way… their chikara is overwhelming…" Second said.

"Better get Atomique out of the way… Leader will want her alive… but if anyone else gets in the way, kill them," said Third. Atomique slowly came round, shaking her head. She managed to hobble to her feet, in time to throw up another Plexiglas barrier before herself.

"Is this a private party, or are WE invited?" asked another voice from overhead. Second flicked his head around to see a young man hovering in midair. His black hair whipped in the wind, while his fist blazed with energy.

"Who's that?" Atomique asked.

"Hey miss, are you okay?" Gohan asked.

"I don't know who you are, but this is not your affair, earthling…"

"Stay back… whoever you are… they'll kill you…" Atomique gasped.

"I'm Son Gohan… miss… and I don't abandon a defenseless woman… my dad wouldn't hear of it!" he said with pride. "I feel sorry for these poor creatures… especially when my dad Goku shows up!"

"Destroyers," said Atomique, chuckling. Two of the Destroyers were kicking and smashing at her barrier as before, finding their blasters ineffective.

"Better ease up on that barrier. You don't look so good," said Gohan as Atomique strained to maintain the plastic.

"They're smashing it to pieces…" she gasped.

Second and Third activated their shielding. They tumbled out of the way as the youth suddenly materialized in their midst, throwing rapid blasts of some sort of chikara at each. Third brought his rifle to bear, channeling a blast of his own incendiary mix towards the newcomer. He blurred out of sight, materializing behind Second, and landing a solid punch that send the Destroyer crashing into a tree. Barely did Third have a change to activate his teleport belt to vanish out of range of a sizzling firebomb. All around them the trees exploded into flames.

"Otosan!" Gohan yelled. "We're in here!"

"Who… how long will it take him to get here…"

"He's on his way… the whole place is crawling with these… creatures…" Gohan panted, punching and kicking his way through the other Destroyers materializing all around him. "Why are they after you?"

"They murdered my husband Stellari, the Stellar Alchemist and tried to steal my children. I tracked my kids here… but I can't let these monsters stop me…"

"Your children?" Gohan gasped, reaching her side. He sent rapid blasts of energy from his flying hands in both directions.

"Two boys, twins… just toddlers… named Fermi and Bohr… they look like me and have strange powers…"

"Hold on… I might have seen them… are they telepathic?" Gohan gasped.

"Yes… do you know of them?" she gasped.

"Hold on… I'll get you out of this…" Gohan panted.

"Got to generate… nitrogen… to put out the flames…" gasped Atomique. She traced something in the dirt, struggling to remember the transmutation circle for nitrogen. As she placed her hands, she dropped.

"She's running out of energy…" Third gasped, while Second hurled a series of plasma grenades towards the levitating teenager. He zipped in and out, punching and hitting the Destroyers who were struggling to keep one step ahead of him.

"What the hell is this creature…" gasped Second. "His chikara is equal to one of the Four…"

"Sir… we're being destroyed… another more powerful Chikara is… ahh!" screamed the advance patrol over his comlink.

"Hold him off, I'll get behind her, and capture her…" said Third. Gohan watched as branches cracked and split with the glowing red of an increasing firestorm. From tree to tree the blazes leapt, spreading in a manner of seconds. Through the flickering blaze Gohan huddled protectively shielding the strange woman in the blue uniform. Somehow within the glowing circle, the flames were being extinguished.

"I'm an alchemist…" she gasped.

"We're okay… just let me get rid of those goons," said Gohan, panting in the increasing heat. "You keep generating that nitrogen… Just don't burn yourself out… all we have to do is hold out till… there he is! DAD!"

Blue energy slammed into the raging flames. It pressed down, shoving trees aside in a trench of widening earth. From overhead another figure surged with chikara that broke the scales of Third and Second's chikara meters. For a moment, Second could swear that the Star Child himself was hovering there, sending beams of energy from cupped hands to scrape a huge trench around the blazing acreage to stop the fire from consuming the whole forest.

All of the lizardlike beings were covered in scaly reddish skin, while their red and blond hair was fastened up under their helmets. Long coats of armor were stitched together of animal hides and plastics, studded with scrap bits of metal. Son Goku wondered why Third's coat looked so much like soda can pull tabs linked together. Next to him, Second and the others had similar armor, held together with rivets and safety pins. Buckled overtop were harnesses with various bits of technology reminding Gohan of what Freiza's troops used. Kis flickered; each boosted by the gems they wore on chains around their necks. A quick glance to their belts showed what appeared to be transdimensional circuitry, to a trained scientific mind like Son Gohan.

"Otosan, down here!" Gohan yelled up.

"I'm coming…" answered the voice as Son Goku swept into view.

"About time," Gohan gasped, and turned to his new friend. "That's my dad, Goku…"

"Goku?" she asked. Energy blazed just behind her. She turned to see one of the gold-eyed lizard beings appearing just behind Atomique.

"Get out of the way!" Gohan cried as he raised his hand. Atomique was pushed aside as Gohan stepped before her. Third's weapon shot out, crackling around her. She dropped to her knees, struggling against the energies that surrounded her.

"Leave her ALONE!" Gohan screamed. In seconds Gohan zipped right next to third. His punch slammed into the creature's gut, crunching bones and rending flesh in his rage. Atomique rolled over, while Gohan pummeled third into a bloody pulp.

"Wait… what's…" spoke a voice almost identical. Energy surged and whipped the inferno into a maelstrom of expanding heat. Second saw the remaining four Destroyers felled by rapid kicks and punches, followed by blasts of pure gold chikara. Third lay still on the ground; while the one called Gohan panted overtop. His hair had blazed into gold, while the mental energies crackled with molten hot lightening. Close by, the newcomer also had blazed into a similar form.

"They have… a secondary transform like the four…" Second gasped. "Third…"

"I don't know who you are, but you made a BIG mistake," said the newcomer.

* * *

Identical in stature to the youth, he levitated towards the body of the woman, and the youth hunched over them both. Third's hand barely twitched from the bloody mangled mess that Gohan had made of his body. Through the haze of pain, she glimpsed an orange fighting outfit, stretched overtop of a blue shirt covering a powerfully muscled chest. Long legs clad in loose baggy pants carried him closer after he touched his blue booted feet to the ground. 

"Dad…" gasped the one called 'Gohan'.

"What's going on here? Is she the source of the ki?" Son Goku asked, glancing at his son. If they were father and son, why did they look so close in age? Surely Son Goku could only be in his mid twenties at the most, while Gohan was little more than eighteen tops. Eerily they could be brothers, which reminded her of another father and son pair very dear to her. When they were both alive.

"This is YOUR fault, fool. You didn't need to interfere. We only want the woman," said Second.

"Oh really, and why is THAT? If you wanted her so badly, why are you blowing up this forest and threatening innocent people? I don't' think THAT's the mark of a congenial visit, do you, Dad?" Gohan asked.

"No way, son. Look, I don't know who you are, but around here, I don't like people beating each other up without a good reason. In case you haven't heard, this land belongs to the Son family. This means him, and me. So if you don't want me to hurt you, get lost," Son Goku said firmly in a higher pitched voice than she would have expected for a man of his height and stature.

"They want me. They won't hurt you if you let me go. I can handle them…" Atomique protested.

"Nonsense, you're too badly injured to stand. Let my dad handle this," Son Gohan said, helping her to sit up as he huddled protectively over her.

"You know nothing about me…" said Atomique sternly, pushing Son Gohan's hand away. "You two should leave well enough alone."

"If you were a threat, my dad could sense it, he's got this ability to…" said Son Gohan. "And if you're okay, and you say that your children are…"

Already Son Goku's blasts of energy had suppressed the greater part of the fires. Smoke choked the air around them. He raised his fists into a defensive position, gold ki flickering around his form. "You guys have one chance to explain yourselves, and it had better be good. I don't like having to resort to violence, but you've already endangered countless lives with your fires…" Son Goku said, narrowing dark eyebrows sternly.

Second interrupted, "Enough of this! Stand aside now, native human or we'll kill you all! That woman is a criminal escaping Destroyer jurisdiction. She's not from this dimension, and she's a wanted fugitive Alchemist. Her army has been terrorizing people needlessly on her home planet, one which we're trying to liberate…"

"Yeah, right," Atomique spat. "You just had to try and convince the Ishballans that YOU were their only chance to save them… and force them to attack the Military…"

"Lt. Colonel Roy Mustang was a fool to face us with just you and those oversized brothers. You think you've saved YOUR life and THEIRS by grabbing Fifth's disc and coming here to this backwater dimension? If you give us the Atomic transmuter amulet, you can go free and save these poor natives their skins," Second said.

"Here it is. Now go to HELL," she snapped, pulling something out of her coat and tossing it down. Son Goku saw Second catch a small red glowing object in his hands.

"Thank you, now was THAT so hard?" he snickered. Passing it to Third, he smiled.

* * *


	4. Not the 4 star!

_Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z or Full Metal Alchemist. Funimation and their respective owners distribute them. Atomique (Tryni), Dragon Womyn, and Black Widow are my fan chars though. Mentions of the rock group KISS and the respective members are not mine. This is a work of fan fiction and is not meant to harm or demean. I get no profit from this. Fermi (James) and Bohr (John) are fanfic chars._

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****

Not Goku's Four Star Dragon Ball (Si Zhing Qui)!

Third waved his hand over it and snarled. Glowing yellow eyes widened behind the visor concealing them. Son Gohan and Son Goku closed ranks around the female, watching closely as the six Destroyers encroached from all sides.

"You really think you can fool us? Why is the Talisman drained of most of it's power?" asked Third, glaring at Atomique.

"You asked for IT… not the power. You really don't comprehend that they are only like those fake philosopher stones," said Atomique. "The true power lies within…"

"You and your Four Who are One think you're so smart, hiding the talisman…" Second snarled.

"Wait, I'm detecting seven traces of like energy on this planet…"

"What are they talking about?" Son Goku glanced at them confusedly. "What are you doing here? Don't make me have to hurt you!"

"You thought you could play stupid? We've traced the Talisman here! You have all seven! You aren't going to fool US!" laughed Second, grabbing Third's tracer.

"Wait, that looks like the Dragon Radar…" muttered Son Gohan, glancing at the small device they held. Although it was vastly different, the gleaming blips recording seven different traces struck a bell of familiarity in his mind.

"Then you DO know… tell me now, Atomique… did you send your two friends Dragon Womyn and Black widow here with the talisman to destroy them? And hide them here?"

"Look, this is getting annoying," said Son Goku. "Just go and leave us alone! This means nothing to us!"

"Oh, but it does. And we'll get the truth out of you one way or the other. The Talismen belong to the Leader of the Destroyers! And we'll get them even if we have to destroy the whole stinking planet!"

"Kuso, that does it!" Gohan gasped.

"You said it," Son Goku agreed. Extending their fists, both men started to bellow at the tops of their lungs. Second and Third barked to their soldiers, training their weapons to fire on the two men. Gold chikara crackled off the scale as trees and rocks swirled around the two glowing men. Their hair swirled upwards into golden spikes while their entire bodied seemed to grow in stature momentarily. Flames of mental force spiraled into gold auras as they shifted into a state that seemed painfully familiar to the Destroyers.

"That proves they must have the Talisman. The chikara is identical in nature to the Four…" Third gasped.

"Destroy them!" yelled Second.

"Are you really going to try that?" asked Son Goku, glancing down at them as energy weapons discharged. A fast flurry of his hands blocked each beam headed his way.

"Great Dragon, they're too powerful!" yelled one destroyer.

"I have no time for this… evacuate!" yelled Second. He pressed his teleport belt, flashing out of existence. He appeared just next to Third, reaching down to touch his comrade. Cold hatred burned in his eyes as he faced the youth protecting the two women. Energy blazed from his weapon, barely scratching the youth. Third and Second vanished in the reality rip.

* * *

"And don't come back," Goku snapped as he saw the rip fold in on itself. Nodded to Gohan, he exhaled, letting the gold in his hair fade. The spikes drooped and leeched of chikara, returning his appearance to normal. Atomique blinked, shaking her head. 

"How on Earth… that's impossible…"

"Not when you're able to become Super Saiyan," said Son Goku.

"Hey miss… are you all right?" Gohan asked, leaning over to look at the woman.

"I think… it's gonna hurt," she gasped, holding her stomach. Instantly the other, which must be the father, was next to her, helping to support her as she lay.

"I've got her Gohan. Are you sure you're okay? Do you need medical help?" asked Son Goku.

"I'll be all right… with a little rest. You two shouldn't have interfered…"

"It's our job, right?" Son Goku glanced at Gohan.

"Hmm," Gohan nodded. "Just who were those guys? And what is all this about Talismen?"

"I'll tell you all, but I have to warn you, if you offer me shelter they may well try to attack me again. They're searching for some items from another reality, and I fear that something in yours is giving them a false positive…"

"Those devices they had… what do they track?" asked Son Gohan. "Don't worry, I'm a scientist… well I will be…"

"Gohan's pretty smart, next to Dr. Briefs and Bulma," said Son Goku.

"It's going to take a lot of explaining. And the Talismen except for mine are nowhere on your world. So why they're getting seven readings…"

"I've got a suspicion," said Gohan. "But Dad we'd better get back to our home where it's safer…"

"Right. I'll be happy to carry you, if you don't mind," said Son Goku. "I think we have some Sensu beans…"

"Yep… about two left," said Son Gohan. "Let's get her home…"

"This is going to be different," she coughed. Blood dribbled down her silk jacket as the man's father cradled her in his arms. Atomique felt herself being swept up in the youth's strong arms.

Atomique saw the man known as Son Goku lifting his fingers to his forehead. The quick snatching sensation of teleportation slammed over them all and they were someplace else. Carefully Goku carried his charge into the rear of the small place. All around were the traces of Chinese architecture mixed with other things.

* * *

"You'd better tell us everything you know," said Gohan quietly. "C'mon dad… she says she's looking for twins… could it be the same ones that…" 

"Who were those… things?" his father asked, laying her on a rather conventional sofa in a living room of the domed dwelling.

"Destroyers," Atomique whispered. "From the world of my origin…"

"Okay, you're from another dimension, right?" Son Goku asked. "Where is that exactly?"

"Well, to start with, the place I just came from was not where I was born and spent most of my life. That world is already fallen to the Destroyers… the one I came from was where I was staying till Destroyers kidnaped my children…"

"What place was that? You're wearing what looks like a military uniform, are you a soldier?" asked Son Goku, sitting down in the chair opposite the sofa. He folded his long legs. Son Gohan wandered off into a back room of the home.

"Well, on the world of my origin, there was a war, but not the one I just came from. The Destroyers are creations of evil technology, responsible for creating an Armageddon on my planet… which is probably what you'd call an alternate Earth… are you familiar with SF, and parallel dimensions?"

"Um I know about other dimensions," said Son Goku, blinking. "Like the next one we go to when we die… and I know about life on other planets. In fact…"

Son Gohan returned, leaning over with something between his fingers, "Easy, just eat this… it will help you feel better…"

"What is this…?" she mumbled.

"I don't know what they have on your world, but it should help fix you up," he said. "We call them Sensu Beans… they're equivalent to 20 days of food…"

"What manner of pharmaceutical is this? A natural cure?" Atomique grunted, struggling to sit up. However, Gohan pinned her down with a strong hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, we have two left, right dad?" asked Gohan as he glanced back at his father.

"Yes. What were you saying about parallel something or others?" said Son Goku.

"Parallel earths?" said Son Gohan. "I overheard what you just said."

"Yes. The earth I'm from was eclipsed by dust when a comet struck it, thanks to the Destroyers. They're from my world's future, and used their technology to change the present of my world so they could exist. They've got the ability to jump across dimensions as you have seen. Anyway, the only force able to fight them on my world were the Four who were One. Four rock stars who had powers granted to them by powerful magical items from a civilization long hidden. They each represent an element. Four were known, but three were lost. The power to use them passes on from parent to child, or husband to wife…" said Atomique, feeling power slowly returning to her body.

"Okay… but you said the world you just came from isn't the same place you were born…" said Son Gohan.

"Yes. In a last battle, my friends, family and children were scattered across space-time by a scientist… called Space Ace. He used his power to scatter us across the multiverse so we'd survive if the Destroyers ever defeated us. Of six billion people in the world, only a few hundred survived under the protection of the Four: the Star Child, Space Ace, Cat Man, and Demon. They had the Four Talismen, and gave the remaining three to the females among them capable of wi4elding them… the Atomique, the Black Widow, and the Dragonlitch. You have guessed which one I possess, and the other two… are supposedly here."

"Black Widow and Dragon?" asked Son Goku. "Do you suppose…"

"Tell us everything," said Son Gohan firmly.

"They have equipment to track these Talismen across space time. They need them to balance the energies of our world so they can remake it in their image. But they cannot truly defeat us if they don't have all seven…"

"Like the Dragon Balls?" asked Son Goku.

"What?" she asked.

"Dragon balls. You put all seven together… and you make a wish when Shenlong comes out," said Son Goku. "Here… let me show you…"

"Is he sane?" asked Atomique.

"He is. And I think we'll get an answer to both our questions," said Son Gohan. Son Goku walked into another part of the house, and opened a wooden cabinet. He returned, carrying something cupped between his hands. It shimmered and sung with energies that floored her.

"Wait…" she gasped, seeing as Son Goku held the translucent sphere, the size of a grapefruit to her. Four small stars glittered in its heart, and she reached out to touch it.

"This is the Xi Zing Qui, the four star," said Son Goku. "I keep it to remind me of my grandpa Gohan… which my son here's named after…"

"No wonder… are there SEVEN of them?" she asked, reaching out to drag a finger over it.

"Yep, sure are. And we keep this one. It's been in the Son family for generations… or so my grandfather said," said Son Goku.

"Wait, these Talismen… are they magical items?" asked Son Gohan, leaping up.

"Yes. The one I handed to them was a fake I'd synthesized using Alchemy. The world I just came from is an alternate earth where Alchemy is the main science, and State Alchemists work for a Military run by Fuhrer King Bradley. I ended up on that world by Ace's last ditch effort… and I joined, using their abilities to learn alchemy. That's the basis of my powers. My two sons and I lived in safety till the Destroyers came."

"Two sons?"

"Yes, named Fermi and Bohr. They were born shortly before Blackwell's last attack… Blackwell's the entity who wants the Talismen. He created the Destroyers to hunt the Four Down and kill them. Now he's given them the power through Space Ace's technology to hunt us all through time and space. But if these Dragon Balls are made of the same substance as the Talismen... you're all in DEADLY danger..."

"Wait, your Talimsen… and the Dragon balls… are the same material?" asked Son Goku. She held out a silver pocket watch, inscribed with a chimera, and opened a small compartment on the back to reveal a strange gleaming object shaped like a carbon atom. In proximity to Goku's dragon ball it glowed.

"That's the same noise all seven make when they're brought together," said Gohan, blinking at his Dad.

"Weird… it's like they're talking to each other… but the Dragon Balls aren't any good unless you have all seven…" said Son Goku, scratching his head.

"Wait, that means they'll be looking for the Dragon Balls thinking they're…" said Son Gohan. "Kuso!"

"We must stop them from returning to their dimension," said Atomique. "And they also have my sons…I didn't mean to drag you into this as well…"

"Why haven't they come here before?" asked Son Goku.

"They have, don't you see, Dad. Shortly after that whole fight you and Bejita had with Majin Buu we heard reports about these lizard beings popping up. But the Z fighters have always been able to stop them…"

"You've seen them here already," said Atomique, glancing grimly at father and son.

"Good thing Goten's with Trunks… but that explains why Bejita's been training those two…"

"Wait… what's going on here…" she blinked up at the two men exchanging looks of surprise.

Son Goku sat down on the edge of the sofa, nudging her over with his hip. He took her hand in his as he stroked the back. Son Gohan nodded, "You can tell her dad. This answers a whole mess that's been happening the last few months…"

"Okay… this is weird," said Atomique, blinking up at them both.

"I think this explains everything, You see, you were looking for two boys… well I've been taking care of… Damn…" muttered Son Goku, rubbing his mop of unruly black hair.

"What's wrong Dad…" Gohan blinked. He whirled around, glancing wildly at the house simultaneously to his father doing the same thing.

"Something's here… that same ki…" Goku narrowed his eyes. "How could they…"

"Get down!" Atomique screamed, sitting bold upright.

"What the…" asked Son Gohan

"Second… second's here!" she yelled. Goku spun around to see Second materializing just behind him. As he swung a punch Second laughed and reappeared by Atomique.

"Get back!" Gohan yelled.

"What are you animals doing in my house?" Goku yelled.

"Look out!" Gohan cried. Then the whole world exploded into flame. All Atomique remembered was Goku touching his fingers to his forehead, and screaming at the top of her lungs while Gohan threw himself overtop of her. Second's loud maniac cackling echoed in her ears as she felt something slam into her full force.

* * *


	5. Goku a foster father

****

Goku as a Foster Father?

* * *

Charred wood crackled. A thick smoky smell assaulted her nostrils. Her eyes felt like leaden weights when Atomique next tried to open them. Someone's arm was passed under her neck, pushing something against her lips. 

"You're waking up," said an unfamiliar male voice. Too high pitched to be an older man's, but low enough to be older than an adolescent.

"Second…" whispered Atomique, blinking up into the face of one of the two men she'd seen yesterday. He wore an orange training outfit with blue shirt underneath. A bare muscular forarms steadied her head, while a large hand gripped a glass of water. Considering he had a son who was in his teens, the youthful countenance hardly made sense. Perhaps he was the sort of being who did not age as quickly. Every muscle in his body vibrated with crackling gold energies, tingling her chikara perceptions. Although he kept a tight shutter on his true latent ability, she sensed by glancing into his dark eyes that he had psychic potential. A sort of bottomless gleam of hidden knowlege existed, yet there was innocence that was so much like Star Child it hurt.

A pure heart and freedom from sin, she thought. Those eyes were identical to Star Child's. Although his hair was stiff and spiky it was jet black like Paul's had been. Even his body build and musculature was reminiscent of her late husband. Equal chikara locked away also vibrated at much the same frequency, even though the color of the aura was gold, the exact opposite of purple.

"Easy now… you'd better not try to move much," he said, pressing the glass to her lips. "You should probably drink some of this…"

"How long… where is Second?" Atomique asked, blinking up into the young stern face of Son Goku. Smudged with soot and grime, he held a slight frown mingled with concern. Anger boiled just under the surface before being pushed away, she sensed. All emotions seemed in positive balance for someone so powerful and so lethal. With but a blast of energy he could easily atomize anyone, because she had seen the signature of his blasts echoing before she was knocked out.

"Second won't bother you any more," said Son Goku quietly. He narrowed dark eyebrows in an uncharacteristic frown.

"Did you..." she asked.

"I've dealt with him…" he said. "But I didn't kill him. Don't worry about that. He won't dare do what he tried to... I have a way of convincing people..."

"Is your son all right?" asked Atomique.

Son Goku shook his head, giving her a relieved half smile. "He's alive. Don't worry about it..."

"Thank Heaven," she sighed. "Where am I?"

"But you've slept in… it's been almost two days since you went to sleep and we gave you that Sensu Bean..."he shushed her, stopping her from sitting up. "Are you feeling well enough to move?"

"It's my fault," Atomique said, scrambling up despite the efforts of the strong man to hold her down.

"We hunted down all six. Their devices were all destroyed…" Son Goku explained. "Don't try to get up… it's not something that…"

"No, you're wrong, I'm responsible," said Atomique, shoving him away.

She glanced wildly around, seeing the charred pieces of timber stretching overhead. Ashes blew in the wind, scattering pieces of crockery, silk, and bits of paper in all directions. In the distance she saw the huddled shape of a young man slowly rising to his feet. He turned to see the woman rushing towards him. Like yesterday Gohan wore a dark blue training outfit with red undershirt, in opposite to the dark orange training suit of his father.

"Second destroyed your home…" Atomique stammered.

"They did, but they'll pay… I swear it," Gohan said, forming fists as his young face twisted with rage. "At least those Destroyers have no way of returning home. I smashed each and every last one of their devices..."

Gohan pointed to a pile of messed circuits next to where he had been sitting.She lay in the shade of a small pagoda shaped building, with one door partly open. Strangely she lay under a tree on a futon. "What are we doing out here?" she asked.

"You seemed to need some fresh air. Dad suggested we bring you out here so it might revive you…" said Gohan.

"And it's my fault… if I hadn't come here…" said Atomique. She turned away, gritting her teeth.

"Miss… what the… wait!" he stammered brushing tears out of his eyes. "That's not what I meant…"

Atomique slammed into a solid muscular chest. Strong arms stopped her, trapping her against his body. She grabbed orange fabric in her fingers, squeezing it tightly. Son Goku rubbed her shoulder, trying to fold her into a comforting hug as he soothed,"He's right. There was nothing any of us could do… Atomique-san…"

"How can you minimize this, Son-Goku-san? Because of me you could have died… you and your son! And you don't even know why…" Atomique gritted. She squirmed against the warrior's comforting embrace, and he released her, backing away a step. From experience he knew that not everyone drew comfort from a physical embrace, especially when they were strangers. However he wanted to help in whatever way he could, and hoped the woman would understand it was platonic.

She snorted, wiping away angry tears, "First my husband, then my children… I don't know if they are alive or dead, and now you could have died… someone who wasn't even involved…"

"Not because of you or any reason…" Goku said quietly, grasping her arms tightly as he held her there. "Don't you see, I don't BLAME you… I'm just as angry as you are… they had NO right… but blaming yourself or us won't help get them back…"

Atomique nodded, wiping away tears, "How can you not…"

"I know," he nodded. "And they'll pay. But right now we're still alive. And there are ways of taking care of things like this…"

"You said your sons, and husband was murdered by those things?" Gohan asked sharply.

She turned her head around to him, and nodded, "That's right…"

"We've learned how to fight them. Gohan, Me, and the other Z fighters," Son Goku promised. "And as for your husband, they'll be plenty of vengeance for both of you… it's been dealt with…"

"But they'll send more… they'll know that they've not returned!" protested Atomique. "Don't you see it's only the beginning?"

"Thank Kame… Goten was with Trunks…" Gohan choked, wiping away his angry tears. Atomique shivered from cold, hugging herself. She backed away from Goku and Gohan, hugging herself with her back turned to them.

"You'd better go back to Capsule… and stay with him there. There's something I gotta do here…" said Son Goku, glancing at the nearly outraged and hysterical alchemist wringing her hands.

"Alone?" asked Gohan quietly. "But what if those things get back here… like she said!"

"I'll take care of her here. And if they show up, they're gonna get a nasty surprise. You go and protect your brother. I can't risk you getting hurt as well, and someone needs to inform Bejita the threat's not over," said Son Goku.

* * *

Once Gohan had levitated into the air, Son Goku walked quickly after his guest. Using hyper speed he zipped before her, clutching her arms with his strong hands. "Don't blame yourself. You can't do everything to everyone…" 

"Easier said then done…" said Atomique quietly, wiping away tears.

"Your husband… was he only recently dead?" Goku asked.

"It would have been three years ago," she said, stammering. "Why do you ask?"

"I was only just brought back to life myself," Son Goku said quietly. "I might have seen him…"

"I'm from a different dimension… how possibly…"

"In Otherworld," said Goku quickly. "There are lots of warriors that fight in a tournament. I might have possibly fought against him or trained him…"

"His name was Paul. He was called Star Child…" the alchemist explained as patiently as she could. Something about the older man's demeanor seemed naïve, almost childlike.

"I DID see him," Son Goku blinked, with a slow smile. "He was there… kinda lost… but I gave him a few pointers. The only problem was that when both of us tried to come back… the whole thing with Majin Buu happened before I could complete his training…"

"What?" asked Atomique, blinking.

"Um well… he might still be able to be wished back…" said Goku quickly.

"Son Goku… where is your wife?" she asked, hoping that it wasn't something unpleasant.

"Um… well… she kinda got angry that I was never around," Goku said sheepishly. "She decided a while back that… she didn't want to stay with… a no good martial artist such as myself…"

"I shouldn't have asked," said Atomique quietly, glancing away.

"It's not your fault. It was mine. If I'd been a more attentive husband…" Goku hung his head. "But she's with someone else now… after I came back to life… I found out that she'd up and left…"

"Didn't she take the children?"

"Nope. She left them behind. Said they'd probably become martial artists like me. I guess she wanted me to get a taste of what it was like being a single parent… but I never figured… she'd find someone else…" Goku said quickly.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered. "Damn…"

"I can't change it now. She's gone, and she's made it clear she wants nothing more to do with the boys or me……" said Goku quickly. "Her loss… but all t hat time… I was away… she…"

"You don't have to tell me any more," said Atomique quickly. "Tell me, how I can get my husband back…"

"But wait… aww crap I forgot they don't work if you've been dead for more than a year… DAMN IT!"

"What are you going on about?" Atomique demanded.

"The Dragon Balls," he said quickly. "Able to grant any wish…"

"We don't have anything like THAT in any of the worlds I've visited… and you'd better explain because I'm not only upset but confused… and I can't think if I haven't eaten!" she cried.

"You aren't kidding… I'm the same way…" he blinked, letting her go as he felt his own stomach growling. "The main house is pretty much shot, but my grandpa's place is still standing… I think there's a steamer and a wok…"

"I don't know how to cook," she groaned.

"Don't worry… Chichi taught me how, one of the few things that she said would be useful, and one of the last things she enjoyed doing with me before she… left," Son Goku said as cheerfully as possible. He motioned to the woman to follow him. Still feeling confused about her host's demeanor; she walked across the property to the small pagoda shaped house.

"I still don't see how you can be so casual… when your wife just up and left you…" she murmured, sitting down as he puttered around with the steamer. Mumbling to himself he threw rice in with copious amounts of water.

"My getting upset won't bring Chichi back," Son Goku said, with his back to her. "Sure I'm furious… and outraged and everything else… but freakin' out won't help… and as for your husband… I'm saving it all for the fight ahead…"

"Stuffing your emotions down isn't healthy," she said softly.

"Oh no, it helps me fight," Son Goku interrupted, turning to glance at her over his shoulder.

"Every bit of anger, hate, and fear I store away in my heart. At the right moment it becomes my strength… in the heat of battle."

"Like my husband says," said Atomique thoughtfully. She swallowed hard; wiping away her own sorrow at the memories long buried.

"Uh huh, that's right," Goku nodded, placing the lid on the enormous bamboo steamer. "Now… if I remember it's 15 minutes…"

"I still can't get my head around it… how you can be so damn cheerful… don't you feel ANYTHING?"

"I do, I really do," he said, whirling around to face her. "I've seen my friends killed countless times. Seen monsters kill and torture my family and friends too. But if there's one thing I've learned is that you have to keep a positive attitude and hang in there. Otherwise you can't hope to accomplish anything…"

"I can hardly think," she shivered.

"Because you're hungry, and nobody can think without a good meal… I should know," he chuckled. "But make no mistake, I'm angrier then you'd believe…"

"You have how many children?" she asked quietly.

"Gohan's my oldest, and Goten's the younger one. He's stayin' at Bejita and Buruma's place… that's where I sent Gohan, to make sure he's okay..."

"I'm sorry," Atomique swallowed hard. "If there was anything I could have done… to prevent those creatures from attacking…"

"You gotta cut it out already… stop blaming yourself. If anyone's at fault it's me, because I didn't get there soon enough…" Goku chided gently, whirling around on her. "Now am I gonna haveta get mad at you?"

"You're a strange guy, Son Goku," she mumbled, shaking her head. Again she sank down to the table, resting her head in her hands.

"You'll feel better with some food. So will I… cause I'm STARVING…" he babbled quickly.

"You don't have to go to the trouble…"

"It's no trouble…are you kidding?" he exclaimed.

"I guess not," she said softly.

"You're a mom, aren't you? Tell me about your boys," Goku said, trying to get her to stop blaming herself. "I bet you're really proud…"

"They've been missing for almost a year or so. Every time I think I can settle down and find a safe place to raise them… they're taken away… and now I have no clue where they are… or if they're alive…" she trailed off.

"I know, but maybe if you think of how much they mean to you, and how proud you are of them, who knows… maybe you'll be able to help them hang in there. I know that always helped my boys… sometimes no matter how far apart we were, if I was thinking about them, and they were about me…"

"You've got a telepathic link?" she asked.

"Telepathy… that's where people speak mind to mind, right?" he said, scratching his head.

"Of course that's what I mean," she blurted out, frustrated.

"Sorry, forgot for a minute… I was trying to see how much longer it would take for the rice to cook…" he apologized with an awkward grin.

* * *

Atomique exhaled, counting to twenty. When she finally regained self-control she sighed in a long puff of air before continuing. "They're twins, named Fermi and Bohr. There's no knowing how old they'd be now… but I haven't seen them in almost six months… there are two enemies who constantly recapture them… the poor things are probably traumatized for life…" 

"Twins?" Goku asked, scratching his head thoughtfully.

"Yes. Dark hair, dark eyes, like mine… and they have unusual powers… well not like YOUR powers… but they're telepathic… and there's no telling…"

"Two boys… almost four years old?" Goku choked.

"Yes… wait a minute… have you seen them…"

"Shimatta!" Goku exclaimed.

"Wait… Son Goku you HAVE seen them? When and where!"

"Crap… Chichi and I… we cared for two kids… just like that… just a few months ago… before Chichi up and left me… before they went back to Capsule and Jeannie…"

"Jeannie? Goku, what's going on here! You HAVE seen them… WHERE… WHERE!" she cried, leaping up and grabbing the front of his orange training outfit.

"Settle down… easy…" he urged, holding his hands up as he tried to calm her. "If they are your sons… they couldn't be safer… because their auntie took them in…"

"Jeannie… you saw JEANNIE?" Atomique gasped in disbelief. Her fingers tightened to twist the orange fabric more tightly between them.

"Is she your sister…? I mean she and this other girl with the same kind of powers… they've been trained by Bejita for the last year or so…" asked Goku, sharing her excitement.

"She's not my sister… I mean she's my

"Who the HECK is Bejita! Where are they?"

"Wow this is great… they ARE yours… well they're fine… and when we've eaten I'll take you to Capsule so you can see them!" Goku said quickly, grasping her wrists with his own hands. She let go of his shirt, and backed away, wiping away the sudden spurts of tears forming in her eyes.

"This is too good to be true!" she cried, backing away. "Here… all the time? On YOUR WORLD?"

"I guess so! Pretty neat isn't it? Which means it isn't all bad… your kids are okay… and that is something GOOD…" he reassured her. Son Goku let go of her wrists, smelling the steamy scent of thickening rice reaching his nostrils.

"I still wish there was a way to make this all up to you… I owe you more than I can ever repay and here I am calling you an idiotic emotionless fool…" she groaned.

"I've been called a WHOLE lot worse by Chichi, and all my friends. I'm used to it," he shrugged with an awkward laugh.

"Still, calling people names isn't very nice, and I don't make a habit of it… and I'm sorry I misjudged you …"

"Enough already will ya?" he again interrupted with a squawk of that alto voice. "It's time to chow down! Cause its ready!"

"Need any help?" she asked, feeling an awkward flush settle over her.

"Well if ya wanna help set out the dishes… it's gonna take a whole lot till I'm done… but it's no trouble really… you ARE a guest…" he said. Yet his words fell on deaf ears because she was already digging through the cupboards to try and extract bowls and other utensils while he drew the pot off the stove.

"How MANY plates?" she wondered, blinking at him in disbelief.

"About thirty… I'll just load 'em up and line 'em up… too bad they blew up that really BIG plate… darn I liked that…" he mumbled, plunking a mound of rice in a huge bowl in the center of the massive table.

"I guess you have no forks… considering the place…" she said, ladling out soup while he dished out a massive portion of rice for her that made her choke to see it. He dumped easily a whole pot of steamed dumplings into another serving bowl she pulled out, and then followed with two steamers of mixed steamed vegetables.

"Don't forget the yum-cha… and the egg rolls," he gasped, throwing down two more pots.

"You're kidding me right… there's no WAY I can eat all this…"

"Whatever you don't finish I'll take," he said, pushing a pair of chopsticks into her hand. "Now let's dig in!"

"Good Lord," she shook her head, sinking into her chair. Immediately he snatched the first bowl and shoveled the food into his mouth. Bits of rice and other pieces of food flew all over his hair and face when he finished the first, then moved onto the next.

"Sorry, I'm just ravenous… help yourself!" he muttered through a mouthful of Sui mai. Unable to restrain herself she attacked the mammoth bowl of rice before her. In order to prevent losing her appetite she averted her gaze from her starving host stuffing his face.

"You gonna finish that?" he asked hopefully across the table. Piles of bowls and plates clustered on the floor and table around him.

"No, I'm stuffed… it's yours…" she groaned, holding her stomach. Eagerly he snatched her leftovers away, quickly polishing them off with a clink of chopsticks on crockery.

"Mm man that was good!" he commented, leaning back in his chair.

"You're not kidding… I can't believe I just saw you eat the entire menu of a Chinese take out! And you made all that by yourself?"

"Chichi was always complaining that I didn't help out enough around the house, so I learned how to cook a few simple things. And now that she's no longer here…" he trailed off. Black eyes grew dark with anger, and he clenched his fists on his lap. She bit her lip, burying her face in her hands as she remembered the events of a few days before.

"How long and why?" she asked quietly.

"She met someone else who could make her much happier than I could," Goku said quickly, his face twisted with hurt. "someone… normal. Who could be… with her… in a way I couldn't… without hurting her…"

"If it hurts you to talk about it…"

"I sometimes don't know my own strength. Also I enjoy fighting… going on adventures. I always figured she'd be here waiting for the boys and me… I died twice… and she blamed me for so many things. She was right… in many ways, but she left the boys behind, and even saw someone else… after I came back… alive… after I saved the world, with Bejita…" Goku said quietly, sitting up in his chair to look at his guest. She sniffled away her tears.

"Damn… how did you find out?" she asked him.

"I smelled another man on her," Goku said firmly. "My sense of smell is much better than a normal person's… and well I put two and two together… I wanted to think that she was being taken against her will but…"

"Harsh," said Atomique quietly.

"Maybe you should change those clothes first… they're kinda ripped…" he pointed to her uniform.

"It can wait…"

"My grandpa always told me that a guest should be cared for well. I think I have something that might work," he said quietly, standing up and walking around to her side. "Please?"

"All right, Son Goku," she said quietly, letting him lead her towards the back of the small home. He pushed open the rice paper door to reveal cabinets of silk robes.

"I think these might fit… I mean I don't know much about ladies clothes… but when we get to Capsule, Buruma can fix you up… if anyone loves shopping its her…" he stammered, blushing profusely. "These belonged to my Grandpa Gohan's wife. She died long before I came to live here. But they are still good…"

"Beautiful… I can't wear these… they must be ancient…" she whispered.

"Nah, they're prefectly preserved in that cabinet. Nobody's touched them for years! I want someone else to have them, who needed them more than she did, and I'm not trying to be weird," Goku said quickly as he darted out of the room. "I'll just be… out here… when you're done!"

"What the heck is his trip?" she shivered, taking out several robes and lightweight silk pants. A shudder went through her at the thought of wearing his dead granmother's clothes at first. Nevertheless, Goku would insist vehemently otherwise. Poor guy was so damn innocent in some ways, and in others not so innocent. What sort of a man could face death, and cook a meal in the same week, while blushing about the subject of women's attire?

Her fingers traced over the purple silk of one top that seemed to be variable enough to fit across her chest. Luckily his Granmother must have been amply large figured, and on the short side, although not wide hipped, or this would have no chance of working. Soon she found an outfit that would work as a loaner, with matching purple bottoms and a long top that came to her knees. She drew on the white socks and a pair of china flats that fit her in a pinch. At the collar she buttoned the silk frogs, and then turned to look at her in the mirror. She folded her blue military uniform, putting it aside in what seemed to be the dirty clothes pile.

When she emerged from the back bedroom she saw him with his back to her, piling bowls into the massive wash basin. Already he'd cleaned most of the soiled dishes. She strode up, and called out to him, "Need a hand…"

"Oh yeah… that'd be great… say, you found something to fit… great…" he said, turning his head to glance at her.

"I feel weird wearing her things… just so you know… but they are pretty…"

"I'm sorry I don't have anything else… really," he laughed awkwardly, glancing back at the sudsy water he'd plunged his hands up into the elbows in. She grabbed a towel and stood next to him, drying the nearest bowl off.

"No, it's okay…" she reassured him. "Honestly… I'm the one with the hang-up. You've been so nice and I'm acting like a jerk…"

"Hey, it's not the first time someone's thought I wasn't too swift… but you needed something to wear, and I don't think you'd care to put on my training clothes or Gohan's… I mean most women don't… they prefer women's clothes…" he stammered.

"I'm washing dishes… like it was just another day in the house… and yet…"

"If we don't, who will…" Goku mumbled, passing her another plate. "Gotta keep it clean, since she won't be able to…"

"What did you tell your sons?" she asked. "When it happened."

"Gohan already knows… and Goten…" he trailed off quietly. Slowly he plunged his hands into the mounds of suds again. Dishes rattled under his searching grasp.

"If there's anything I can do…"

"I'll let you know…. But don't you dare feel guilty, because it's not your fault… and neither is what those stupid Destroyers did to my home… or almost to Gohan," Goku finally said. He turned aside for a moment and wiped his muscular hands on his improvised apron. Reaching out he grasped her shoulder, squeezing it gently. She allowed him to leave it there, laying her head reflexively on his shoulder.

"Thanks… that means a lot to me. If I blamed myself for everyone who died in battle with me…" she said, squeezing her eyes shut.

"It's just not… not what they'd want. And they're not dead… when they're alive… in your heart…" Goku nodded. "So you see?"

"You're something else… nothing phases you, does it?" she asked, backing away. Her cheeks flushed hot at the contact of her hands with him. She turned away, wiping away her tears that matched the ones seeping down his cheeks.

"I know. They're always saying I'm sappy, but you know I don't care. It's true, right?" he shrugged, with a small alto laugh.

"This was your grandfather's home?" she asked, glancing around.

"Yep. My grandpa Gohan lived here… named my first son after him… man he'd throw fits if I didn't help clean up after playing…" Goku laughed, drying his hands.

"Your other home…"

"Chichi and her dad built that one after we got married," Goku explained, grabbing a massive stack of dishes.

"Does this go over here?"

"Under the sink… that's where the pots are. Bowls are to the left… chopsticks in the little drawer," Goku explained, showing her the appropriate places.

"But you still have stuff in this home…"

"Well this is where company stays," Goku said. "When Piccolo was training here with me… we had him put here. And when Chichi got ticked off, the beds were way more comfy than the sofa…"

"Ouch," she teased, rattling the bowls she carried. Goku grabbed them quickly, stacking them in the overhead cupboard.

"This was where Gohan and Goten stayed when your boys were here a few times…" Goku explained. "They were sure full of mischief… but it wasn't a problem…"

"How long did they stay?" Atomique asked him.

"For a few months… till your friends were able t' take 'em… but it wasn't a problem… believe me. Been a while since I've taken care of little kids. I love doin' it…" he laughed, grinning widely.

"You're almost like a kid yourself," she commented, then stopped herself at the thought of saying something so rude.

"It's true," he chuckled.

"Well, sometimes I shoot my mouth off," she mumbled, turning away.

"I'll just freshen up, and then we can go see your kids… and mine," he said. "Gotta go get myself changed…"

"Okay… I'll put the rest of this stuff away," she said, struggling to grip her self-control. Son Goku wandered back into the bedroom to find a change of clothes for himself while she waited.


	6. Fermi and Bohr

**__**

Chapter 3

* * *

"Ready?" Son Goku asked, poking his head out of the back bedroom door. Atomique leapt off the sofa, glancing at him standing in the doorway. His mussed hair seemed fused into that floppy spiked state, yet his clothing suited him quite well.

Before he'd worn a bright orange gi, with blue shirt underneath. Now his muscular form was clothed in sleeveless blue top and baggy pants. Twine wrapped around the boots that the ends of the pants were thrust into. All that remained of his former ensemble were the blue wristbands, and the blue sash around his waist. Did he always wear those wristbands and boots, she wondered? His bare arms were well defined and blistering with muscles, much more so then Paul even, or the demon had been.

"All right then…" she said quickly. "Should I take anything?"

"Nah, just yourself," he joked. "C'mon, it's not that long of a flight… but I think Gohan took Nimbus so we'll have to fly…"

"Fly?" she blinked. "But I CAN'T fly, damn it!"

"You can't?" Son Goku blinked at her, as if she'd sprouted a second head. He paused at the open double doors with the Chinese characters scrawled in a small diamond three quarters of the height up the wooden surface. From what little she knew of them, she guessed it was his family name.

"I don't know how," she said. "And even if I did…"

"Don't worry, I can help you," Son Goku said, and then blushed. He motioned her to step out the door before him. Into the morning air she strode, feeling fresh mountain air blasting her face. With a lonely sigh it moaned through the rustling tree branches. Still she smelled the charred bite of the smoldering ruins of his home across the way.

"How far?"

"About a few hours… but it's no big deal. If I had nimbus we could ride… only if you're pure of heart though…" Goku explained. Judging from that expression on his face he took the entire explanation for granted. Slight confusion spreading across his youthful face alerted her that he wasn't accustomed to explaining these facts of life to someone else.

"This is getting to be really confusing… what is a nimbus, pray tell?" she demanded.

"Oh, just a little gold cloud that makes it easy to get around, so we don't use energy flyin'," he said casually, closing the doors behind them. He drew a bolt across them, securing the portal with a padlock and key he stuffed into his pocket. Across his shoulder he slung what seemed to be a simple cloth bag filled with various items. Food most likely, she thought.

"We fly in my world too, well MOST of us," she mumbled. Goku clearly discerned the note of irritation in her voice, indicating she was weary of being schlepped around when she wanted to fly on her own. Perhaps he could do something to change that, he thought. A gentle probing of his personal ki assessed that she had the requisite raw power, but it needed focus. Far beyond the super specialized use that her 'alchemy' dictated.

"Your ki's pretty high level… maybe you can too… I mean Videl could… Chichi never could… but she didn't have the juice t' do it… an' she always used the car or Nimbus…" he said, striding out to the middle of the clearing.

"Your powers are much like the ones of my husband… mental energies that I can sense off the scale…" she murmured.

"Gonna have to carry ya if you don't mind…" he said, reaching down and sweeping her up into his arms. "Whoops…"

"It's okay… really," she muttered, feeling the world drop from under them as they lifted into the air. She grabbed the blue cloth of his top to steady herself against his chest. White energies surged around them, forming an envelope of chikara that sliced into the resisting air. All over she felt the tingling of chikara much like the one of the Four and the talisman, but ten times stronger and more focused.

Every fiber of Son Goku's being radiated with chikara. During the fight she'd seen him and his son explode into chikara that went far in excess of Paul and Gene's forms. Just how much was he capable of, she wondered. Also, his though processes seemed almost alien in some ways. Few humans had such strength without some enchantments, she told herself.

"Lemmie know if I'm flyin' too fast here," he spoke with lips near her ear.

"I'm actually used to this… or I was… because Paul always, I mean I always had someone carry me around because I couldn't fly…" she stammered, embarrassed at the whole admission. He was being nice after all, and all she could think about was how strong and buff he looked.

"Maybe you can. I mean it's not something you learn overnight, but Gohan or I could teach ya," Goku said quickly. "I'm sure you'd be a natural. I felt your energies and they're pretty strong… for a woman… I mean…"

"Most of the women on this world aren't fighters as you are?" she asked.

"Well Buruma isn't, and my wife was… I mean my ex wife… and my son's girlfriend Videl is…" Goku muttered, shifting his fingers under her knees as he mentally counted off the candidates he described.

"You're going to have to introduce me to all these people… or else give me a scorecard," she teased, feeling the strange crawling in her stomach at the thought of another world that could be marred by the presence of enemies following her.

Underneath the irregular patterns of rice patties and other fields whizzed into long streaks. Distantly the mountains receded; giving way to flatter foothills that gently undulated. Goku shot full speed across small towns and villages, with no effort to show. Not even a trace of sweat blistered on his forehead. If Paul had tried to cross such distances he'd be soaked from head to toe by now. Under her knees and back his arms tensed slightly, while she saw the tint of a blush on his cheeks. He kept his gaze fixed firmly ahead, flying as if this were walking through the park.

"You're not human are you? Or else…" Atomique mused, narrowing her eyes. "That great display of physical strength is either magical, or scientific in nature."

"Well I'm Saiyan, actually… I mean I grew up thinking I was human, but it's kinda a long story…" Goku explained with that ever present chuckle.

"Alien?" she suggested, raising a dark eyebrow.

"Yep, that's right. The world I came from blew up years ago… or was blown up by a being named Frieza… but don't' worry, he's dead now… Bejita and I are from the same world… but I didn't know this till I was already grown up…" he said.

"Bejita's the other… Saiyan that my friends are with?" she nodded.

"He's kinda an acquired taste. Most people can't stand him, and he's pretty angry all the time. When we can get him to relax he's not so bad… but don't be upset if he snaps at you. He's like that to everybody… I think it's because he's a Prince… and I know he's still sore that Frieza blew up his… our planet…"

"Sounds like a real winner…" said Atomique. "And he's married?"

"I know, go figure? He's married to my friend Buruma… I've know HER forever… and he's got a son named Trunks… my Goten's best buddies with him… in fact that's where he was staying when… well you know… it happened. Gohan's there now… and so's your friends… I hope…"

"If Bejita's anywhere near what you describe, he'd have his hands full with my friends…"

"Actually they're two of the few people he can stand," Goku laughed. "He doesn't wanna admit it, but deep down he's okay… and he IS my friend whether he likes it or not…"

"This I've got to see…" she chuckled, her smile perking up the cheeks in a way that erased the somber sadness from her face. Goku wanted nothing more then to see that smile more often on her features. While she was middle aged, there was youth present in the firm young cheeks. Did she know how many years that sadness put on her face, especially when her brow furrowed with deep concern?

"He's always calling me names and denying it, but I know he's just like that on the outside. Too proud to admit any of us mean anything to 'im," Goku laughed.

"Mr. Personality, huh? I'd like to introduce him to Gene…"

"Is Gene some kinda royalty? Or one of the warriors you know? Jeannie said that name… I assumed it was her father… and Black Widow…"

"She's here too?" Atomique blinked.

"Yep… I was wondering… is Jeannie your sister…"

"Actually she's a step daughter in law… my husband… was her father in law… and well, Paul and Gene were best friends, like brothers… Paul was the…"

"Star child," said Son Goku. "And Gene was a Dragon… not to be confused with Shenron…"

"Demon," Atomique corrected, as they shot out over the expanse of shimmering sea. White caps of waves rolled and foamed almost a mile below them.

"Demon? Wonder if he knows King Yemma…" Goku wondered.

"Who?" she asked.

"Just the guardian of Hell," said Son Goku. "Not a bad guy. He decides who goes to what place… and he's really strong… but don't' get on his bad side…"

"Good grief," Atomique groaned. "I'm going to go crazy…"

* * *

Their flight lasted close to three hours. Atomique dozed with her head resting against Goku's shoulder. She blinked awake, staring around her at the shifting scenery. At her waist she reached for the silver pocket watch inscribed with the chimera. Popping it open she read the time as being one in the afternoon. Goku glanced down from flying to admire it. "Nice watch… where'd you get it?"

"When I trained as a State Alchemist… in one of the worlds I traveled through… before coming here…?" said Atomique.

"You've been to other dimensions then?" Goku asked.

"Yes," she nodded. "The place I come from is a world that's all ruined…"

"Your husband showed me…" Goku gritted. "Pretty nasty place…"

"Hell compared to this world," she said, squeezing her eyes shut. "I miss it, even though I might never see it again…"

"Sorry," Goku said. "But you could stay here a while… I mean till we gather up the dragon balls and maybe we can wish you home… if you still wanna go…"

"Where would I stay?" she asked.

"Um well, you could continue stayin' on Mt. Pauzu… with your kids… they're used t' me and my boys…" he started.

"Don't be silly!" she stammered.

"Maybe it's a dumb idea… but I can rebuild the main house… and you can stay just across… no?"

"Just because my husband's dead doesn't' mean that you have to protect me, Son Goku," she said bitterly.

"Hey now WAIT, that's not why at all!" he interrupted. "I just thought since it was a place they were familiar with… heck, I know that maybe Buruma and Bejita could have you guys stay at capsule… with your friends… but…"

"I don't want to put you out any more," she said firmly.

"Well, you wouldn't really… and I was just thinking since I already took care of your boys… well… Kuso…."

"What?" she asked as he pulled to a halt.

"Better hang on… looks like our friends are trying to chase us…" Son Goku muttered, nodding his head at several distant specks expanding into figures wearing rocket packs.

"Damn it… don't they give up?" she mumbled. "Watch it… they've got teleporting devices…"

"They're not the only ones who can do that trick," he snickered, weaving and dodging the thin lines of lasers streaking across their path. She gasped as they moved through a blur of slow time, to emerge behind the cluster that crossed their flight trail.

At the last moment, she saw Son Goku touch fingers to his forehead. Sky and ground blurred into static, only to reform into the skies above a vast ultramodern city. Towers of blue glass and white steel poked into the blue heavens to great heights. Some were domed, while others were shaped like inverted thermometer bulbs and water towers.

"West Central City," he explained, dropping altitude to circle around the valley choked with metropolis. "Capsule's just this way…"

"You're a teleporter… damn… just like Ace…" she observed, shaking her head in wonder and awe.

"It's instant transmission. Just think of a person's ki, and I'm there. Doesn't' work if there isn't a powerful mind nearby where I'm tryin' to go," he shrugged.

"Still, it's pretty astonishing… only Mona and Ace, and two others on my world can do something like that… but they do it by folding space…"

"I turn myself into energy, and beam myself there…" he said with a hint of confusion. "Not the same thing I don't think… but here we are…"

* * *

Goku glided effortlessly just two feet above the lawn. He landed on his feet again, carrying his passenger along the pathway that wound up to the main yellow dome. It obscured the city towers behind it, so grand was its scale. Manicured landscaping spread around for several city blocks, housing various clusters of other domes.

"I know you're going to explain THIS as well," she said as Goku set her carefully down.

"Buruma's dad runs this company… forever… and it's kinda neat what they make… these little capsules that contain anything, and all you do is throw them down, and poof…"

"And I thought my world was weird," she chuckled, walking alongside Goku's long legged stride down the meandering path.

Before them the front doors slid open, and several people burst out, rushing towards her. She saw two familiar figures squealing with outstretched arms. Before long she was swept up and crushed to an armored chest by arms as strong as Goku's or the Demon's.

"God, where were you?" cried Dragon Womyn, swinging her around.

"Jeannie… Christine… how on EARTH?"

"What a coincidence… you're ALIVE!" her other friend exclaimed. They both squeezed her in tight hugs.

"I can't… breathe…" she gasped.

"Sorry…" Black Widow laughed, setting her down. Her friends squeezed her hands, and she stood back to see them swathed in strange armor and red spandex AE suits.

"We just got out from training," Dragon Womyn explained. "Sensed your chikara…"

"I brought her right over," Son Goku laughed. "How are you two ladies doin'? Is Bejita training you hard?"

"What do you think, you clown? Unlike SOME of us, these two students of mine are learning something USEFUL," grated a harsh guttural voice. Letting go of Atomique the two girls turned around and inclined their heads to the other figure standing there in a similar armored vest. Strangely he was only a few inches taller than she was, from the top of a spiky cone of stiff hair much the same texture as Goku's must be, to the white boots covering his feet.

"Jeez Bejita nobody's questioning that… I brought their friend over…" Goku explained, lowering his graceful dark eyebrows as he wrinkled his forehead in annoyance. He combed his fingers through his dark hair, fixing Bejita in a watchful stare. Just to the left of Atomique Goku stood, waiting to see what would happen between her and her friends.

"Kakkarot, what the hell is this about monsters attacking your home…" Bejita demanded, folding arms across his armored chest and peering down his nose at Son Goku in that imperial manner suggesting he was of a higher class.

"They almost killed the woman, and my son," Goku said angrily as Bejita marched over to him, hands on his hips. "Right in cold blood."

"So your brat has said. And what kept you?" Bejita asked.

"The woman needed food and a change of clothes. I couldn't just let her freak out… she thinks it's her fault that my house got blown up, and that these creatures attacked randomly…" Goku hissed at Bejita.

"Is it?" Bejita demanded, glaring directly at the woman in question. She bit her lip, glaring back at him with an equally penetrating dark eyed stare. The light of intelligence glinted there, matching Prince Bejita's own stubbornness though he saw how she was wallowing in her own misery. Uncomfortably familiar to Bejita, he knew that she was quite satisfied to play the martyr and victim of a widowed mother of two. Nothing pleased Bejita more than shaking someone out of his or her complacency. Especially when it was a chance to rile Kakkarot.

"Wait a minute," Black Widow said. "Your Majesty… we just found out she was alive!"

"It is," said Atomique quietly. Bejita pushed out of either student's way, standing directly one foot before Atomique in disdain.

"You're even a bigger idiot then Kakkarot!" Bejita snorted at her. "You're alive, so why are you whining? How dare you claim that you had any responsibility, especially if you're incapable of defending yourself?"

"Who the HELL do you think YOU are?" she retorted, matching his death ray stare with her own. "You don't bloody KNOW what I've been through…"

Bejita seemed unimpressed as he folded arms across his chest, snapping, "Save me your pathetic whining, you female. Only a moron and buffoon like Kakkarot would take in a defenseless weakling such as yourself… who is incapable of caring for her whelps!"

"Bejita, be nice!" said Black Widow.

"You are being a WEE bit harsh, Bejita-sama?" Dragon Womyn said, folding her arms across her chest in much the same fashion as her sensei.

"I don't need YOU to defend me!" Atomique shouted at Dragon Womyn. "I'm not going to sit here and take this shit from anyone. I don't care if you ARE royalty. I've dealt with my share of male chauvinist shit heads, and you're no different, Princey…"

"Got a mouth on you, just like Kakkarot's old shrew," Bejita clicked his tongue. "Words are one thing, but can you back them up with anything useful?"

* * *

Fists formed at her sides. Purple chikara… or ki… flashed in her eyes, wreathing her dark hair and making it crackle on end. Son Goku widened his eyes, realizing the energy closely resembled a Saiyan or Z fighter powering up. His mind drifted back to Other World, where he worked with Star Child trying to help him unlock his transformation out of 'civilian id' without the Star Talisman. Goku likened it to becoming Super Saiyan, and remarkably the same trigger worked to enable the member of KISS to become the Star Child.

"Take it easy," Son Goku mentally directed at her. She blinked; sure for a second she'd heard a voice in her head. Yet she was angry enough that she ignored whose it was. Unable to resist the temptation to wipe that smirk off his face, she hurled a hale of plastic shards towards him with a blurring of her wrist. Bejita easily deflected each one with fast movements of his hands.

"Hardly worth my effort, wench," Bejita snorted. "I can see why you need a male to take care of you, since you can't fend for yourself."

"Son of a bitch," she snarled under her breath. Son Goku moved up automatically, squeezing her shoulder.

"He's not worth it. Back off," said Son Goku quietly, lips by her ear. "Now's not the time or place. You're not trained enough to take him on…"

"Huh?" she asked, cocking her head slightly towards him.

"If you feel his ki, it's not enough to muster an attack. He's just busting your chops. If you ignore him he'll back off," Son Goku whispered. He knew from experience that one thing Bejita hated was being snubbed.

"Bejita, please knock it off!" Black Widow yelled at the Saiyan no Ouji.

"Mind your place, I'm not talking to you, woman!" he snapped back at her.

"Back off, Bejita. She's had enough from the Destroyers," Goku interrupted, his voice dropping an octave from its usual alto to a tenor range. His face darkened as he strode up and glared down at the Prince.

"Oh, want to make something of it, Kakkarot? This is an interesting change; seeing you with anger across that idiotic face of yours… did I piss you off?" Bejita smirked. "Because I insulted this weakling female you dusted off and decided to shelter like a lost injured bird in your home?"

"Hey, I don't need this male macho trip, Son Goku! I'm capable of defending myself! Especially from the likes of HIM!" she snapped, grabbing Goku's wrist and shoving herself before him.

"Are you? I doubt you could survive two minutes on your own without someone taking care of you. You're just an intellectual snob that is incapable of the most basic moves of self defense… a scholar who thinks she's a fighter. Your only weapon is your acid tongue, so shut up in the presence of your betters," Bejita sneered.

"Now wait a damn minute," Black Widow said.

"Stay out of this, Chris," Dragon Womyn insisted, pulling her friend back. "She's been asking for this. She thinks SHE'S so special because she's suffered more than the rest of us? Well she's a spoiled brat who needs a wakeup call!"

"Leave her alone Bejita, I mean it," Goku responded. "I'm not kidding here…"

"Ohh, another nerve? This is twice in one day that you've shown a backbone Kakkarot. I must say it's a considerable improvement," Bejita bated him. "Since that loud mouthed harpy dumped you…"

"You… why you… that was UNCALLED for, and you know it, Bejita!" Goku glared at him. His hands knotted into fists, veins protruding on the smooth skin stretched across the backs of his hands. For a second his eyes flickered emerald green before fading to their usual dark black once more. Bejita raised a dark brow in interest. Apparently not only Goku's brat could get angry at the mention of a woman, Bejita noted. Only once before had he seen any of the Sons almost lose it, and that was when Spopovitch had crushed Videl nearly to a pulp.

"Son Goku, stop this male chauvinist stuff! You, your royal whyness… or whoever you are… leave him out of this, this is between you and me!" Atomique said hotly. Son Goku gently pushed her behind him, shaking his head no.

"Boys, knock it off!" yelled a blue haired woman who had suddenly dashed out of the house, and dodged between the two men.

"He started it," said Bejita angrily. "He just had to step in and defend this spoiled brat."

"Sorry Buruma, but he was being rude to a guest of mine," Goku said firmly. "I brought her here… to reunite her with her friends…"

"ENOUGH!" Buruma yelled. "Bejita, get your royal ass BACK in that house before I let Goku kick it! How can you be such an insensitive prick? His wife fucking left him!"

"I know genius. So what's he gonna do about it? Whine and cry like that female he's protecting like a lost cat?" asked Bejita. "I'll be inside, ladies. Don't take too long to have your reunion."

"You're not worth my time, if all you like to do is piss people off," Atomique muttered disdainfully at him. "I suppose I do owe you for caring for my sons, and you have my gratitude. But that doesn't give you liberty to dump on me…"

"Don't give me a reason to, wench, and I'll stop. Otherwise keep your mouth shut," Bejita answered. "And for your info, your brats are playing with mine… and Kakkarot's…"

"Thanks a heap, your Majesty," Atomique said sarcastically.

"Bejita… I'm warning you…" Buruma said.

"Come on, let's get your children…" Son Goku said. "He's not worth it. He's just being his usual self… okay?"

"If I were you I'd listen to the third class," Bejita mumbled as he shook his head at the alchemist.

"Um, c'mon, right this way…" Buruma urged, dodging around Bejita, then Goku. Grasping Atomique's hand she tugged her towards the mansion. Christine fell in beside her, wrapping her arm around her friend's shoulder.

"My children… here…" she asked, squeezing Christine's hands.

"Yes… they're in the playroom. Mrs. Briefs is watching them…" said Black Widow excitedly.

"I'm so glad to meet you finally… Mrs. Starchild is it?" said Buruma excitedly. "You look a lot like them… and I'm so sorry about Bejita…"

"He's just an acquired taste, as Son Goku said," said Atomique with a flush of anger. "Takes more than him to ruin this day…"

"Come right this way," she said, motioning her to enter. "Christine, show her… I'll be along in a minute or two…"

"I'm sure you'll recognize them," Dragon Womyn said, following her two friends. "But I warn you, they've grown much since you last saw them…"

Son Goku strode in as well, following them at a distance. Mentally he questioned why Dragon Womyn, supposedly one of Atomique's friends was being so judgmental? Was she almost… jealous of his guest? In time he knew he would discover the whole story. Every day it seemed the Saiyan no Ouji's star pupil was becoming disturbingly more like the Prince he had first met. He glared angrily at Bejita, who marched off towards his gravity capsule. Grunting, Bejita shot Kakkarot a look that smacked of grudging respect, devoid of its usual condescension.

__

"You're finally acting like a true Saiyan, Kakkarot…" Bejita thought. Goku frowned, clearly receiving the broadcast from his Prince.

"Mind your own business, Bejita," Son Goku telepathed back. "And focus on improving your student's attitude before I have to…"

"Since when did YOU worry about what I taught those two women?" came Bejita's amused reply.

"I'm going inside…" Son Goku finally answered before terminating his mental conversation.

* * *


	7. At home with the Son family

****

Twin Dilemma

* * *

Inside the playroom, Trunks and Goten were engaged in a game with the twins. Like always the blocks floated on their own accord, while Trunks tried to zap them with ki out of the twin's mental grasp. Goten leapt up and began to snatch each block out of the air. Suddenly, Fermi and Bohr stopped their playing. Both dropped the blocks they were using to build the tower along with Goten. Standing up, the twin boys looked at one another, then at Gohan standing by the door. They said nothing as they walked forwards.

"Guys?" Trunks asked. "What's up?"

"Don't you feel it? My Dad's here," said Goten.

Fermi look at Bohr, both sets of dark brown eyes sparkling with violet ki. "Mommy," they mouthed.

"Wait here, guys," said Gohan. He opened the door to see the three women rush through, one of them the stranger his father had taken in.

"Fermi… Bohr? Is that you?" she gasped, dropping to her knee. Both boys wandered up, glancing at her with dark eyes. She reached out her arms, feeling sadness and joy as they moved quickly forwards.

"Mommy?" they both said at once.

"That's right… you know me?"

"Mommy!" they said in unison, gliding into her waiting arms. Their small hands pulled at her hair, squeezing her neck in a combined hug.

"I'm so sorry… I couldn't…"

"Mamma don't cry," the one called Fermi whispered.

"We're okay… we knew you'd come…" answered Bohr.

"We always knew," Fermi added.

"Daddy said so," said Bohr.

"But your father…" she stammered, wiping away her tears.

"Is dead and not dead… we know mommy…"

"And it's okay… he said to take care of you," Bohr insisted.

"How old are you… four… oh god… oh god," she sobbed, as they held her close. Both four-year-olds kissed her neck, hugging her tightly.

"We love you mommy, please don't' cry," they whispered. "We're not angry. Please don't cry…"

From a two-way window in the side of the nursery, Prince Bejita watched the reunion with an air of disdain. Next to him, Buruma stood with a smile plastered on her face, hands folded along the side of her face with joy.

"How saccharinely sentimental," Bejita mumbled to Buruma.

"Shut up," she snorted. "I don't know what you were trying to pull insulting their mother like that… but you'd better have a DAMN good explanation…"

"I'm not unaffected. I'm glad those brats are with their proper mother. They were a pain in the ass," Bejita snorted.

"I swear you're going to see the couch for a YEAR!" Buruma snorted.

"Woman, don't piss me off. You know I'm right. That woman has no cause to feel sorry for herself when I sense the ki off her. She's perfectly capable of defending herself," Bejita snorted in distaste.

"What are you talking about? She's been through a rough time."

"Boo hoo, so have her two friends, and they aren't wallowing in misery. That woman may have lost her mate, but she's all too eager to dwell on it and make herself some sort of martyr that's suffered far more than the two she calls friends… what makes HER special, ne? Why should I treat her like she's worth my respect when she's not…"

"Bejita… what crawled up your ass?"

"If she'd desired her children so much, why did she let them become captured in the first place…"

"You son of a bitch… how dare you!"

"She's proved she has the guts to face me in a verbal battle, me who's taken her brats in. But if she's going to prove herself worthy of taking over their care, she needs to show that she won't be so easily intimidated by every bump in the road. Taking soul responsibility for those Destroyers. Give me a BREAK! They would have attacked regardless of whether she came here or not!" Bejita grunted.

"Okay, I'm seeing it from your twisted perspective, but what gives US the right to judge her?"

"Because we're caring for her brats. As Kakkarot has been. And I've heard much from the one known as Dragon Womyn. She's not unlike you, woman… smart and intelligent but incapable of caring for herself without a mate to look after her. And not having the sense to keep her mouth shut when the male should take responsibility in matters she has no business attempting," Bejita snapped.

"Dig yourself deeper, dork," she glared.

"What business does she have thinking she has a prayer learning to fight? Unless she's willing to properly train. And if not her, that idiot Kakkarot seems all too eager to…"

"WHAT?" Buruma asked.

"Look at him," Bejita snorted, pointing to where Goku moved alongside her. He scooped up Goten, hugging him tightly as Gohan looked on.

"What are you saying?" she demanded.

"It should be obvious. His mate dumped him, and he's already protective of that female and her brood. It's Saiyan instinct to seek another mate to replace the one who's been killed or rejected…"

"I can't believe you're saying this, Bejita…" she snorted, whirling on her heel, turning her back to him.

Bejita snorted, nodding in Goku's direction, "Kakkarot's brat told me the woeful tale. That loud mouthed harpy found someone else more suited to her shrewish ways while Kakkarot was in the great beyond, and left him with both his brats…"

"Even so, she's human like me. And Goku's just trying to help her and her sons feel better… he's dealing with her absence in the only way he knows how…" Buruma shook her head. "By focusing on helping other people like he always done."

"He's not sobbing like a sentimental fool, strangely enough. He's acting more Saiyan than I've ever seen him in the last ten years…" Bejita said quickly. "If you ask me, that harpy's absence is the best thing for him. Maybe he'll stop acting like a clown and a freak… and start kicking ass…"

"I don't get what you're doing with all this, Bejita…" she sighed.

"That weakling needs a mate to look after her, is what I'm saying. Her mate's dead. And she has two brats with exceptional potential. Kakkarot is in need of something weaker to protect. Like a fool she's rejecting his offer of protection and insulting his honor as a warrior. It would do her better to accept and let him do what he does best, caring for her brats…"

* * *

In the living room sat Goku, burying his head in his hands. He had slipped out, not wishing to disrupt the reunion of the Alchemist and her two friends. Wrestling with raw emotions he struggled to grip his self-control when Buruma found him sitting there on the sofa. He hunched over, rubbing his face while she strode over towards him. 

"Son-kun… what are you doing out HERE?"

"Buruma… I…" Goku said quickly. Tears formed in his eyes when he leapt up from the couch.

"Goku… I'm so sorry, Bejita didn't mean to… I mean I know it wasn't your fault she left you…" she said. Sniffling he wiped away the tears that dropped down his face. She held out her arms to him, as if he were a child.

"I thought I'd gotten over it, because it's been a few months now... but still..." he mumbled. He buried his face in Buruma's shoulder. Slowly she rocked the young man who was a brother and best friend to her since they were both young. Finally he allowed his emotions to burst out freely in the presence of one he knew wouldn't judge or treat him like a fool.

"I can't bring her back," Goku whispered. "No matter what I did; it wasn't good enough for her, was it?"

"Son-kun… that's not true… and you know it! You were doing what you could! Nobody doubts that… and who cares what Bejita says!" she snapped.

"It wasn't her fault. It was mine," Goku whispered, sobbing into Buruma's blue hair.

"You'll carry on. You said Chichi taught you to cook and houseclean before she left… well I set up a little fund to take care of the house and kids if this happened. I took your remaining assets and set up a trust fund…"

"So no money problems?" Goku asked.

"Not if you don't handle the finances. Leave that to Gohan. If he wants a job he can come work for Capsule… when he's graduated college. And Goten can come and stay with Trunks when he needs to…"

"But the woman…" Goku said helplessly. He backed away from Buruma, flopping down on the nearby sofa.

Next to him, Buruma gracefully lowered herself to sit. She slid his hand overtop of his to pat it gently, saying, "Her friends will care for her… and her sons. Now that they're reunited…"

"The boys need a father," Goku mumbled.

"What?" Buruma asked, not quite making out what he said.

"They need someone to train them, take care of them, protect them," said Goku, blushing at his mistake. "With their powers… and those creatures after them… and her husband is dead…"

"Goku, you want to take care of them? How sweet… but are you sure?" Buruma asked. "You don't have a lot of room in that house of yours!"

"Well, it makes sense to me… I mean I could train them how to fight… and she could stay in my grandpa's house… with them… and she'd be only a few miles from me and the boys…" said Goku quickly.

"She feels guilty about this, Goku. I don't know if that would be wise… she should stay with her friends…"

"Her boys need a protector," said Goku quietly. "And she needs someone to keep her happy. Cheer her up. I was with her husband before… well before…"

"That's incredible sweet… but she won't just do it because you think it's a good idea… I mean she hardly knows you… and… don't you think it's sort of… well… maybe she might think that you'd want her…" Buruma clicked her tongue at him. Goku's black eyes widened with horror, and he blushed profusely at Buruma's knowing glance.

"I don't want her THAT Way!" Goku protested. "Jeez Buruma, you've got a SICK mind!"

"Well, I keep forgetting you're Mr. Pure of heart," Buruma chuckled. "I'm just teasing you, Goku. I'm sorry… I just want you to know that you're gonna be lonely now that Chichi's gone, and I don't want you hurting yourself by thinking this woman is a replacement for…"

"I don't," Goku said angrily, making fists and pressing them down on the tops of his muscular thighs. "It's the honorable thing to do. Her husband asked me to…"

"What?" Buruma asked, widening her azure eyes in surprise. "Care to explain?"

Not able to meet her blue gaze with his dark black one, Son Goku quickly explained, "I met him in Other world, during one of the big tournaments the Kais held. There was no way he could go back, so her husband asked me to take care of his sons and wife, if anything happened to him…"

"Take care of her?" Buruma coughed, blinking at him in confusion. Her nose scrunched in that way that told Goku she wasn't buying any of this.

Son Goku groaned, shaking his head as he continued, "I'm tellin' the truth here! He'd seen that they were being chased by those Destroyers from dimension to dimension… and that they needed a home. And since her own world is ruined… she could stay here, and raise her boys in peace till they were old enough to protect her…"

"If it were anyone else, Goku, I'd say they were nuts. But since you're who you are, I think I'll do whatever I can to make sure your house gets rebuilt… and that she has everything she needs…" Buruma shook her head in confusion.

"She's just seen them after two years," said Goku, scratching the back of his neck. "And she's a bit nervous around four year old boys… if she needs help… and Gohan and Goten…"

"Gohan's almost engaged to Videl. He can't baby-sit…" Buruma sighed exasperated. She folded her hands on her lap, leaning forwards in her seat. She angled herself to face Goku.

"That's why if she stayed at my home, I could help her baby-sit," Goku said brightly. "Chichi always said I was good with kids… especially boys. And if their powers are strong, I can withstand anything they'd throw at me…"

"Only if she agrees… and I don't know if she will, given her current state of mind," Buruma sighed. "But I'll give you a Capsule house while we're fabricating one for you… that she can stay in, and you and the guys can live in your grandpa's old place..."

"Yeah of course!" Goku nodded. "And we can all eat together… like a family… or sort of… face it. She only has her friends. Her husband is dead… and her family… who knows…"

"Then you should ask her, before jumping to conclusions, Son-kun. Don't take advantage of her… she's lonely and confused enough…" Buruma warned him.

"I won't," Goku said quickly. "I'm not like that… you know as well as anyone else…"

Buruma let out a resigned sigh, and smiled. She reached over to pat his shoulder, in much the manner of a small child. For the first time, Son Goku realized how annoying it was. Lately he noticed more and more how people often tried to talk down to him, like he was stupid. Normally he didn't mind, but lately he was getting really sick of it.

With a patronizing smile Buruma said, "Of course. You're pretty much interested in fighting and eating. I don't think you'd even… well… I guess it's my dirty mind. Remember I couldn't ride Nimbus…"

"Yeah, so?" Son Goku blinked, although he knew the implication of bringing that fact up.

Buruma patted her lap with the flats of both hands, indicating the discussion was over. She said, "Anyhow, let's get you a capsule house and some food… and as soon as you're ready to go back, we can install it…"

"Thanks Buruma-san," he smiled at last, inclining his head. He rose from the sofa, and tugged down on the front of his sleeveless top, before waiting for her to get up and exit the room.

* * *

Elsewhere within Capsule corps main building, the three friends exchanged notes about the last few years. They came to the conclusion that they were possibly trapped here for far longer than they realized. Through the stories of her two friends, she came to learn that for the past six months before they arrived, two of their worst enemies had their hands on the boys. The Bandit and the Princess had managed to rear the children, with difficulty. The Bandithad temporarily confused the children into thinking that he was their father. As their powers had grown in strength, their mental abilities pierced through the veil. At age four they managed to escapeonce and grab a dimensional belt, having seen the Destroyers use one. Once appearing on Chikyuu,they were found byEarth's Special Forces. 

"It was Yamucha and Krillen that managed to fight her off and determine the children aren't hers," Black Widow, aka Christine related. "They took them to Krillen's place at Kame House… for temporary care."

"We hardly knew… later when we ran across them… we found out that some guy… named Dende to figured out whose children they were. When they finally they discovered that Bejita was training two similarly powered beings…." Jeannie aka Dragon Womyn added, sipping hot coffee that rested on the table before her. She shifted her position on the sofa, next to Black Widow.

"Imagine how amazed we were to find that these children are alive…" Black Widow said. "But even though we offered to care for them, the Z fighters decided it was better if 'foster' parents cared for your kids… till you showed up…"

"So… that's why Goku knew them… he foster cared for them," Tryni shook her head.

"Originally the Son family took Fermi in, while the Briefs took Bohr," Dragon Womyn nodded.

"I owe them a lot, but damn… if I'd known," the alchemist mumbled."But they must have realized both twins would be better off together…"

"That's why they finally placed together under our care… considering my own son…" Dragon Womyn trailed off, squeezing her eyes shut. "But now that you're back… you're gonna take over right?"

"Is there any doubt?" Atomique demanded, leveling her dark eyed gaze on the draconian-featured female.

"What are your plans?" asked Black Widow. "I mean now that you're here… you'll be looking for a job and a home..."

"What plans?" asked Atomique softly.

"I mean… since Paul… and well," asked Dragon Womyn. "He's dead… and this world isn't too bad…."

"I don't know. Trying to return to our world isn't the best idea… not with two children…" said Atomique quietly. "They've been hopelessly traumatized already…"

"Maybe we should stay here till we know more," said Black Widow. "This world has much to offer. And besides, we're far stronger…"

"Have you any word from the others?" asked Dragon Womyn, chugging down the rest of her coffee. Atomique sipped a huge swig of hers, swirling the milk in the mug.

"Nothing. The dreams I had from Elliot have ceased. As far as I know… if any of them want to look for us, they'll find us if we stay put. I can't help but think that we need to remain where we are…" said Atomique pragmatically.

"One day we will go back and take our world again. But not now. We aren't strong enough to face Blackwell yet. But every day of training we're one step closer…"

"How could we get back… unless we stole those teleport belts… from Leader…?" said Dragon Womyn.

"This world is rife with them. But the Special Forces can hold them at bay… and sooner or later they may give up…" said Black Widow. "And anyway, what have Gene and the others done to try and help us? Either they can't or won't help…"

"Paul is dead… and Gene…," said Dragon Womyn quickly. "Let's just say that I have had infrequent contacts, and they've all basically said we're to lay low…"

"How has he contacted you?" Atomique demanded.

"Through dreams. Though lately they've grown more infrequent. And Elliot's mind has been closed to me. I don't know if he's dead or alive. It's like there's a gray curtain cutting him off…"

"I barely hear him, even if I scream in my mind," Atomique whispered. "He's off looking across space and time spiritually for your son…"

"I know. And we're stuck here…"

"We should stay, I say," Black Widow said. "When they're ready, they'll come to us. We've done enough running. It's time to keep training, and then when we're ready, we can attack leader and get a transport device…"

"Then what? With everyone scattered across space-time…" asked Dragon Womyn. "Dad can't help us. Ace's scrambling spell was to protect the children and us till we learned the skills to fight Blackwell and his minions. Only when Mona and Ace learn to use their powers can we hope to be reunited. I've played enough games with fate…"

"Yes. I want to become as strong as our mentor does. Then we'll destroy the Destroyers…" Black Widow nodded. "And you'd be wise to stay here, and raise the kids in safety… you've been through enough…"

"Their powers aren't something that…" Atomique protested.

"Son Goku and his friends are strong warriors. If anyone can insure your safety it's him or her. Paul would want you to stay," said Dragon Womyn.

"And who are you to say what Paul would want?" Atomique demanded.

"She was just…" Black Widow started to say.

"Stay where it's safe. Like he always told you," Dragon Womyn interrupted.

"As you say," Atomique nodded quietly, giving Dragon Womyn an odd look. Black Widow moved after her, blinking in surprise.

"What was THAT about?" she asked.

"Nothing," Atomique muttered.

"I'm going to train," said Dragon Womyn pointedly. "And I'd suggest you get back to your sons…"

"That's what I mean to do," said Atomique. She inclined her head, still meeting her gaze to the other warrior, but taking a defensive stance as if she anticipated an attack. Angrily the two women faced one another, their eyes sparkling with wild random chikara.

"Hey guys, chill!" Black Widow urged, pushing between them.

"There you are… my dad's been looking for you," said Gohan as he walked up to them. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Nothing important," said Dragon Womyn. "Excuse me. My condolences… later girls…"

"What did you want, Son Gohan?" Atomique asked.

"My dad has something to ask you… something important… but if this isn't a good time…"

"Maybe you'd better go while I talk to Jeannie," said Black Widow. "We can talk later…"

"It's nothing… I tell you…" Atomique said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Pretty big nothing when you two look about ready to kill each other…" Black Widow snorted, resting her hands on her hips. Hazel eyes narrowed, indicating she had seen far more then her friend wished. Sensing the tension hovering around the room, Gohan wondered if he had picked a bad time.

"I can come back later…" Gohan stammered.

"I don't know what it is," said Atomique softly. "But she's changed. And she's scaring me…"

"You're not the only one. Look, I'll try and pick her brain. You'd better go see what Son-kun wants…" said Black Widow. "Call me if you need to…"

Hugging her friend, Black Widow then shook Gohan's hand before leaving. Atomique swallowed hard, glancing at Gohan, who hung his head in embarrassment. "Sorry…"

"Don't be…" said Atomique softly.

She followed him out to the living room, where Goku was slowly swinging one of the twins, Fermi on his shoulder. Next to him, Goten was wrestling with the other, named Bohr.

"Careful… will you!" Gohan cried as he walked over. Videl moved to intercept him.

"It's okay… I think he's holding back," she reassured him. "Are you both okay?"

"As we'll ever be," Gohan mumbled. "Hey dad!"

"There you are… someone save me from this guy… he's getting strong!" Goku laughed as he swung Fermi around. The boy laughed and squealed as Goku tossed him through the air, and he landed square in Gohan's outstretched arms. Atomique flinched, till she realized for a split second that the boy had hovered in mid air.

"He can fly Daddy! Just like Gohan and me!" Goten crowed. "Show 'em Bohr!"

"What the?" she gasped, seeing one of her sons slowly levitating next to Goten.

"All right, that's enough… for one day!" Videl clapped her hands. She caught the levitating boy as Gohan plucked Goten out of the air. Immediately she handed Bohr to Atomique, who set the boy on her hip shakily.

"How…" she blinked.

"You stinker… you aren't supposed to show them that!" Gohan protested. "They're too young to train!"

"Aww they're NEVER too young!" Goku interrupted, striding up. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you… they just sort of did it…"

"Incredible," she shook her head. "Were you FLYING, Bohr?"

Fermi leapt out of Gohan's arms, when Goten did, and flew past Atomique, squealing and laughing. "Mommy look we can fly! Look!"

"So can I!" Bohr pouted.

"Hey, easy there!" Son Goku urged, grabbing Fermi from taking off. He set the boy on his shoulders with one hand, while helping to hold him in place. Clutching a pouting Bohr, Atomique shook her head at him. Fermi tugged a handful of Son Goku's stiff hair, laughing.

"Dad, you're nuts," Gohan shook his head.

"What was the big question you were asking?" she turned to him. Videl held out her arms and grabbed Goten who was pulling at her leg. Gohan grabbed his brother, swinging him on his back as Goku walked over with the other twin.

"You'll need a place to stay. I was wondering if you'd consider staying at my grandpa's place… I mean till you find somewhere else… I mean the boys already know…" said Goku quickly.

"You want me to stay at your place? Any reason why?"

"Well, if you think it's silly… and well… those guys are still trying to chase you…" Son Goku said. "If you really don't wanna…"

"Please Mommy, can we live with the nice man?" asked Bohr.

"I like him, he's funny!" Fermi squealed.

"Can they stay, daddy? They don't beat me up like Trunks does!" Goten pleaded.

"Aww jeez," Atomique groaned.

"I guess they're already sold," said Videl, blinking at Gohan.

"So, you're welcome if you want…" Gohan said, glancing at her. "If you REALLY want…"

"Fine, we'll try it. But only temporarily," Atomique relented. "And no funny stuff. You two boys can't make Mr. Goku and Mr. Gohan do anything that your dad or I wouldn't allow!"

"All right!" they chorused.

"What did I just agree to?" she mumbled to Videl.

"Trust me, it's gonna be okay… if anyone can deal with unruly kids, it's his dad… especially since he's one himself," joked Videl, reassuring her.

* * *

Nighttime fell on the Son residence. Already the new capsule house had been installed, giving them a whole mess of space that had not originally been intended. Since Atomique's sons insisted on sleeping in Goten's room, Son Goku had schlepped the bunk beds into his younger son's large room. This made one large common area where they could be together. To the boys it was like a sleepover party. It was a relief to see how well they got along together. Because of this development, Atomique wondered if she would be sleeping in the small pagoda house with Videl and Gohan instead while the others shared the new dome shaped dwelling.

Such answers would have to wait. For the last few hours, she had tutored Gohan and his fiancée for an upcoming mid term. Videl and Gohan sat out on the couch, pouring over chemistry texts under the watch of Atomique. Bowls of popcorn, potato chips and other snacks festooned the coffee table, along with stacks of notebooks and textbooks here and there. Videl nestled her orange juice between her knees, shifting forwards in the sofa next to Gohan. He pushed his black framed glasses more securely on the bridge of his nose, riffling through his meticulous notes.

"Gimme those… your notes are better than mine are…" she said, leaning over his thigh and playfully snatching the book from him.

"Hey, your handwriting's more clear than mine," he protested, tugging it back.

"Please?" she said, giving him the best set of puppy dog eyes.

"Aw no fair!" he groaned.

"Thanks sweetie," she grinned, kissing his cheek. He blushed profusely, turning his head to the side.

"Okay lovebirds, what's next… The Bohr Model of the atom… and its shortcomings…" Tryni, a.k.a. Atomique in this dimension smiled. She enjoyed seeing the cute blushes on the two teenagers faces for the past few hours. Whenever Videl wanted something to Gohan's left she always leaned over his jeans clad leg, inadvertently pressing a shirt covered breast over the top. Judging from the gleam in her blue eyes, she was doing it deliberately. Not that Gohan minded much, yet he still shyly squirmed and protested.

"More popcorn?" he asked her, passing the bowl to her after digging out a huge handful for himself. Half of the particles spilled onto his lap and Videl's to his embarrassment. She picked up the stray pieces, popping them into her mouth eagerly. Gohan took the chance to watch her nibbling on the white chunks she popped into her shapely lips, piece by solitary piece.

Atomique drew her finger down the line of facts as they worked problems back and forth. "Now tell me the equations for quantum numbers…"

Gohan dragged his pencil across his paper with one hand, while popping the rest of his handful of popcorn into his mouth with his other. Through the chewing he mumbled, "Oh, I remember this from a long time ago…"

"You would," Videl said, throwing a piece of popcorn at him. From the back room, Atomique's son Fermi wandered in to see where his mother was. He wore a long t shirt that hung to his knees, overtop the flannel pajama bottoms decorated with purple and blue stars. Seeing Atomique and the others in the living room, he padded his way over and rounded the sofa. Atomique gave a small smile and motioned for him to sit next to her. He smiled back, climbing up next to her and leaning his arm on her lap.

Gohan laughed and tickled Videl in the ribs, "So sue me… I remember all sorts of stuff from then… considering I thought I was gonna be a scholar or a doctor…"

Fermi crawled over to sit on Atomique's lap. She pulled him over to give him a hug while she opened Gohan and Videl's encyclopedia sized chemistry tome. Mimicking his mother, Fermi traced his finger down while she read from the chapter overview notes.

Unseen by the others, another observer stood in the doorway, holding Bohr on his hip. Son Goku had carried the other twin along with him when the boy asked where everyone else was. Goten had already darted into the bathroom to take his nighttime bath while the tub was free. Bohr curled his fingers into the fabric of Son Goku's blue sleeveless top, and leaned his head on the man's muscular shoulder. Effortlessly Son Goku shifted him so he held the boy with one hand, pointing to the assembly in the living room with his other.

"Mommy's playing teacher," Bohr whispered.

"She's really smart, isn't she, Bohr-kun?" Son Goku whispered back. His mop of black unruly hair tickled the boy's nose, making him sneeze. He blinked sleepily, settling comfortably against Son Goku's chest.

"Uh oh… someone's talking about you," Son Goku teased.

"Your hair tickles my face. It's all stiff like Uncle Bejita Sama's… but he always gets cranky and never wants to hold me for long…" he made a face.

"That's Bejita for you…" Son Goku laughed, amazed at the thought of the Saiyan prince even consenting to hold a stranger's child. Yet there was the one time when Buruma, Christine, or Jeannie wasn't around, and Bohr had hollered at the top of his lungs along with his brother because of an accident when they were much younger. Trunks had grabbed both boys and run to the GR, looking for an adult because he wasn't sure what to do to quiet them. As an eight-year-old, Trunks had a good sense of what to do about toddlers, but even after changing their training pants and checking to see if they were hungry. Finally Bejita had grudgingly stopped the training room to grab one howling boy and hold him while Trunks quieted the other.

"I gotta go…" he whispered.

"Okay… better see if Goten-kun's outta there first," Goku nodded, carrying the boy off to the washroom.

Back in the living room, the study session continued. Fermi tucked a pencil behind his ear, much like his mom did. She continued her latest explanation; "The trick to remembering equations is to picture in your head just what the math is trying to say. Get beyond the letters and learn it like a foreign language…"

"It IS a foreign language," Videl mumbled. While Gohan scribbled down her directions, Videl almost flopped over as she fell asleep.

"Somebody's sleepy mommy," Fermi whispered in her ear.

"Sorry!" Videl groaned.

"Where's your brother?" Atomique asked her son curled up leaning his head against her chest.

"Picking out his bunk," said Fermi. "In with Goten-kun…"

"I dunno about you guys, but I think it's time for little scholars to put in some shuteye," she said, lifting him off her lap. She tossed down the book, and glanced at her two scholars rapidly folding their notes away.

"That means us too?" Videl joked. "I can't keep my eyes open a second longer. If I see another equation I'm gonna scream! No offense, Atomique-san…"

"None taken…" she said with a smile.

"I think we'll go take this party into Grandpa's house… right?" Videl said as she nudged Gohan in the ribs.

"But I thought I was gonna stay there…" Atomique said.

"Please Mommy, Goten-kun said we'd sleep in his room tonight," Fermi said. She felt what seemed like a rush of air burst past, and a loud squeal.

"What the heck?" she wondered. Goten burst out of the back of the small area, his feet pounding on the carpeted floor. Hovering just at Atomique's shoulder was the missing twin.

"Mommy look!" Bohr laughed.

"What are you doing up THERE?" she said, resting her hands on her hips.

"No flying in the house! Darn it you KNOW that!" Gohan groaned.

"Sorry Nissan… I told him, but he forgot! You guys KNOW better than that okay? We'll do it tomorrow… but you have to follow the rules!" the younger brother scolded Bohr, waving his finger at him.

"I think both of you need to try out those new bunks now, don't you?" Atomique said as she rested her hands on her hips.

"First one in bed gets out of breakfast duty tomorrow…" Gohan reminded them.

"C'mon guys… race you there…" Goten laughed, tugging down his silk pajamas with the dragons on them.

"Uh uh, no racing!" Gohan insisted.

"Does it count if the grown ups carry them?" an alto voice laughed. Goten groaned as his father swept him up under his arm.

"C'mon dad put me down I'm too OLD for this!" he yelped.

"I know someone who isn't," Son Goku laughed, transferring Goten to his back while he swept Bohr out of the air and set him on his shoulders.

"Mommy I wanna ride!" Fermi complained. She shook her head and marched after Son Goku towards the back room.

"Good night Atomique-san! Have fun!" Videl called. She grinned like a Cheshire cat while

Gohan cast her a questioning look.

"What was THAT about?" he asked her.

"What was what?" she giggled.

"That 'look'… that 'I know something you don't know cause I'm a girl' look!" Gohan said frustratedly.

"Oh, just thinking that maybe you and I should share the guesthouse tonight… because your daddy and his houseguests are gonna have a heck of a time getting those rowdy boys to bed…" Videl giggled, poking him in the ribs.

"You're worse than Krillen!" he yelped, blushing deeply.

"We're practically engaged… so why are you so shy about bunking with your lady?" Videl further needled him.

"My DAD's in the house across… that's why," he gritted, hiding his mouth with one hand pressed to the side of it.

"Relax. I think they're gonna be way too busy to check up and see if we're behaving… besides there is a sofa, and a bed… and what he doesn't' know won't hurt him…" she winked, kissing him on the cheek.

Mortified, Gohan protested, "Videl… he could walk out at any minute!"

"C'mon, your dad's begging us to get married! Unlike my pops…" she rolled her eyes. "Hurry up before your dad and his little friend come back…"

"Little friend?" he winced, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Oops, slip of the tongue… c'mon… move…" Videl urged, leaping off the sofa and grabbing Gohan's hand. He let her pull him to his feet, and half drag him out the door. Taking the hand she held, she wrapped it around and over her head so he held her against his side.

"I guess it can't hurt… I mean knowing Dad, he'll take forever telling a story…" Gohan grinned mischievously.

"C'mon tiger… that's the look I wanna see…" she cooed, pulling him along as she raised her lips to kiss him. She snagged her backpack, letting him walk her out the front door to Grandpa Gohan's house.

In the boy's room, Son Goku plopped Fermi in the top bunk, while dropping Goten on his single bed across the room. He took a seat on the side of his son's bed, and leaned back against the wall comfortably. Atomique sat down on the bottom bunk, repositioning pillows so she could lay on her side, and pull Bohr to lay alongside her.

"Tell us a story, Mr. Funny man!" Fermi clapped his hands.

"Fermi, you know perfectly well that's NOT his name!" Atomique groaned, hiding her face at Goku's amused grin.

"Are you gonna get it!" Goten started to laugh, shaking his head.

"Fermi-kun… it's Son-sama!" Bohr gasped, with a horrified look. "He's such a kid!"

"I've been called worse by my own kids," Goku said, reaching across to ruffle Bohr's hair.

"Sorry, Son-Goku sama!" Fermi blurted out.

"Quiet will you, or he won't tell us a story!" Goten shushed them both.

"Please, tell us a story, we like yours the best…" said Bohr, hugging his mom. "Mommy, please stay, you'll love this…"

"I suppose I can," she said. Fermi slid down out of his bunk, and sat on her other side. Bohr leapt down and went over to sit on Son Goku's other side, while Goten sat on top of his covers.

"Is it about the Dragon Balls?" asked Fermi.

"I just know I'm gonna want to listen to this… I've been dying to know what the heck they are…" Atomique whispered to Fermi.

"Listen Mommy, he'll tell you everything," Bohr hushed, holding a finger to his lips.

"I dunno… I kinda forget where I last left off. Do you remember, Fermi-kun… or you, Goten-kun?"

"I remember!" Fermi blurted out, crawling onto Atomique's lap. "You were telling us about how you and Auntie Buruma first met in the woods… and then you ran into the Scaredy cat man…"

"You mean Uncle Yamucha?" asked Goten. "I don't think he'd be too cool being called THAT, dad…"

"He was scared to death of any girls, that were his age," said Son Goku with a grin. "Every time he saw a pretty girl, he'd run away. So Auntie Buruma and Chibi Goku were always free of him snoopin' around. But then there was that night when Crazy King Pilaf decided he was gonna capture us all an stick us in this dark, dark dungeon."

"You would, showoff," Bohr pouted, folding his arms across his chest much like Paul Stanley himself.

Time passed along with the chapters of Goku's story. Everyone's eyes inextricably grew heavier with each passing minute. Although the story was exciting, Atomique and her sons were having more and more difficulty staying awake. On either side of Son Goku, Goten and Bohr leaned against him. Finally he drew Bohr into his lap, while helping Goten to slid under his covers. Atomique curled up on Fermi' lower bunk, hugging him in her lap.

"Then everything went BLACK poof… after the moon came out…" Son Goku continued.

"What happened? Were Auntie Buruma and the Bandit Uncle Yamucha stuck in that dungeon?" asked Bohr, sitting in Goku's lap. Goten lay with his head and shoulders resting against Goku's hip while he continued to tell his tale.

"Well Chibi Goku suddenly found himself without a stitch of clothes on… they were all torn up… and he had a headache… and Auntie Buruma and Uncle Yamucha were huddled in a corner… Poor Pilaf was so scared, because his whole castled was busted up into little piles…"

"How did THAT happen?" asked Fermi.

"Well, Chibi Goku had magical powers," Son Goku said with a mysterious smile. "You remember he had his tail, right?"

"His monkey tail," nodded Bohr.

"You used to have a tail Daddy like I did, till…" Goten remembered, then silenced himself at Goku's patient wink.

"Well, turns out that in the light of the full moon, that tail made him grow really big. But he didn't know that… but Auntie Buruma and uncle Yamucha saw him grow bigger and bigger. He grew thick fur over his body, and long fangs, and swung his arms and feet back and forth cause he didn't like being captured, no way!"

"Yikes…" Bohr whispered. "Sounds like Uncle Tyler San…"

"The kitty man?" asked Fermi.

"Kitty man?" asked Goten, shaking his head. "Who's that?"

"Another story…" Fermi nodded.

"Anyway, Chibi Goku had turned into something called a GREAT ape…" Son Goku continued.

"Like king Kong!" Bohr squealed.

"Sorta… but he didn't swat any planes. He just tore that castle apart brick by brick till the moon set, and then they were ALL Free…"

"What happened to Chibi Goku's tail?" asked Fermi.

"Kami removed it, right Dad?" Goten said. "Just like mine… and Prince Bejita's… and Nissan's…"

"You mean you really TURN into a big monkey during the full moon?" Fermi said. "I thought that was just a story!"

"It sure does happen… cause Chibi Goku ain't no normal human kid. He was a Saiyan kid, but didn't know till much later when his big bad brother Radditz came an' kidnapped his little Gohan-kun. But that's ANOTHER Story," Son Goku said, squeezing a nervous looking Bohr to his side.

"You guys are gonna love that story…" said Goten, yawning deeply. He slid out the covers, letting his daddy tuck them around him. Bohr and Fermi both yawned in unison. Son Goku gently picked up Bohr, and deposited him in the top bunk. When he turned to check on Fermi, he noticed that his story had put their mom to sleep. With a smile he lifted Fermi off her lap, and pulled the covers aside. He placed Fermi into bed, then lifted Atomique-sama gently into his arms before pulling the covers around her son.

"Gnite Daddy," Goten whispered. Son Goku leaned over and kissed his son on the cheek. He did the same to the other two boys, who held up their arms to him as if they were his own.

"Mommy's all sleepy…" Fermi murmured, hugging Goku tightly around the neck.

"That's why I'm gonna go tuck her in too," Son Goku said, holding a finger before his lips. "Shh, keep quiet okay. Don't wanna wake her up, right?"

"Right. Gn'ite Son-Goku san," Bohr muttered, slipping into sleep shortly after the others.

"Nite Funny man-san…" Fermi giggled.


End file.
